Take the Long Way

Satan took Jesus up on the peak of a mountain to lie to him...I mean to tempt him. No I mean lie to him, because that's what he does. He gets us a long way from something, where we can't necessarily hear or see the truth and he either suggests stuff or flat out lies to us. If he can get us all wound up with anxieties before we meet with other people or deal with a situation he has succeeded. Anxieties, worries and fear often stem from believing the suggestions of doubt that Satan throws at us when the distance of time or place stand between us and the event or people. Discouragement is not from God. He will also take us to the peak of the mountain lying to us about what he will give us. What he's really doing is distracting us from doing God's will. He talks short-cuts and God's people like everyone likes a good short-cut. Yet, when we take short-cuts we circumvent God's will; and this usually leads to a longer way. Message: don't listen to the lies, the distractions or promises of short-cuts. Take the long way, instead of an even longer way laced with trauma and assorted flavors of junk. God doesn't use short-cuts. He knows we need the character building that takes place on the long way.