Craig Clouston

 

Silence the Enemy!

February 13

I have given you authority…to overcome all the power of the enemy;

Luke 19:19

On the way home from an exhausting day, Jerry wondered if it was his son on the cell phone with Nan. “Is that Alan?”

“Yes…He says ‘Hi Dad!’.” Nan relayed her son’s greeting.

“Hi Son,” he returned. “Ask him if he has any blank CDs…and would he mind dropping off a couple on his way to work in the morning?”

She forwarded Jerry’s request and received Alan’s response. “Alan says ‘Sure’ but you could stop by and get them tonight.”

Tired, and misunderstanding Alan’s response, Jerry reacted impatiently, “I don’t want to stop by tonight! Tell him forget it! If he doesn’t want to drop them off in the morning I’ll find a couple, myself!”

“What’s wrong with you?!” Nan asked, surprised by Jerry’s attitude. She covered up the receiver, “You don’t have to act like that. He was just saying you could come get them in case you wanted them before morning!” She listened into the phone again, “He wants to know what’s wrong…he doesn’t understand your reaction. Neither do I!” she spat. “He was just trying to help!”

The car filled with deafening silence; Jerry stewing in misery over the actions of his weariness; Nan in the wounding of her son by the man she loved.

†

The malady of events that lead to rash behavior when we fail to think ahead of our actions can leave deep wounds and build resentment, creating a wedge in our relationships.

Jerry loved his son with a deep and abiding love. He knew Alan would never shrug off his request. It wouldn’t have been a big deal to swing by Alan’s house; but Jerry allowed weariness to cloud his thoughts.

Nan, stuck between the two men in her life, couldn’t comprehend or condone Jerry’s conduct. Both considering separate terms of reckoning, suffered unnecessarily.

We have a choice in these matters: reconcile, and begin the healing through apology and forgiveness, or remain under the enemy’s control. All silencing the enemy requires is laying down our pride and taking up our God-given authority.

Prayer

“Forgive me, Father, for the way I indiscriminately wound because of my thoughtless behavior. Help me think ahead so I can avoid injuring others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”