Craig Clouston

Extinguished Flames

The devil prowls … like a roaring lion
1 Peter 5:8

As the pastor and his family returned home, he found an envelope tacked to the parsonage’s front door.
Curious, he pulled it from the door and read. As he read, his face turned ashen; the shock and confusion on his face caused his wife to ask what was wrong. There were no words to soften this blow:
We, the leadership of the church, no longer require your services. We therefore inform you that you have one week to vacate the parsonage. We will find your replacement in due time and do not wish any future contact with you.
Signed,
The Leadership
With no further explanation forthcoming and in total shock with inexplicable heartache, they complied with the request, leaving the little church God had called them to.
The young pastor agonized. Haven’t I spoken the true Word of God? Hasn’t the community responded affirmatively since my appointment? And hasn’t God shown me areas of needed growth I’ve been addressing? With astounding clarity, he understood; he had made the leadership uncomfortable, requiring growth and a new level of commitment. He had become a threat to their little church.
Rumors spread by his accusers followed the young pastor, and he was unable to secure future appointments. Jaded, he returned to secular work, never to minister again from the pulpit.

†

What a profound loss. What an egregious act of abhorrent behavior. What an insidious use of God’s children by Satan. Our enemy prowls, just as today’s text tells us, like a roaring lion. But he also slips subtly in and out of our lives, undetected and unidentified, using good-willed people to extinguish the fire of God from the hearts of men. Failure to recognize or admit Satan’s influence in our lives will prolong our struggles. Without giving evil more power than it deserves, we must be aware of Satan’s willingness to use us against each other.
Satan is real; he hates the things and people of God, and he will use us to attack each other. We must learn to recognize his tactics and then resist him!

Prayer

“Lord, make me aware of the enemy’s subtle attacks. Help me to resist them. And use me as an instrument of grace. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”