The ovens preheated timer chimes almost in unison with the coffee pots ‘last call for hot coffee’ beep. Meanwhile my toddler hollers for help building yet another castle, the 3rd of the day and it is only 9:24.  

As I scramble from kitchen to toy room I’m reminded of the heaping pile of laundry earnestly waiting to be folded, the several sticky notes already inked with demands for the day and a sink that is surprisingly empty, still managed to defeat my optimism with the upcoming dirty dishes.   

Each step slowed with an overwhelmed notion of the unending tasks already conquering my day.  Out of the corner of my eye, I spot my opened Bible and blank journal that I was just itching to saturate with the endless thoughts that had been circulating in my mind for the past several weeks.  Which pinged a dreadful reminder of my recent writer’s block leaving my blog no new posts. The melodious discord of my day was intensely drumming in sync with that of my heartbeat. 

David, the man after God’s own heart, wrestled time after time with enemies of all sorts.  However, in Psalm 55, David speaks of the voice of just one enemy, believed to be a confidant who betrayed him.  David cries out feeling distant from the Lord and restless in this attack.  The pressures of the enemy consumed him.   

As I read, ‘the voice of the enemy,‘  I didn’t think of individual enemies that David had acquired, but that same voice we have all heard antagonizing our very thoughts, The Enemy. 

The Enemy that is pressing us on every side, using all forms of distraction to try to crush us.  The Enemy that hopes to perplex us with simple snares resembling our very desires.  The Enemy that persecutes us again and again until we are left feeling absolutely abandoned.  The Enemy that will do anything to strike us down into a desolate dark hole.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
– 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

All I wanted to do for the day was harmoniously spend quality time with my youngest and get lost in my quiet time with my Heavenly Father. Yet the deplorable reality planted by the enemy was already in play. 

Eliminate the pressure from the Enemy and illuminate with a passion for the Almighty.  

David cried out to God during trials and triumphs because he knew that no matter what he felt, God was always there and already fighting for him!  He knew no matter the enemy’s attack, victory was already the in the hands of the Almighty!   

Slipping into a quiet corner, I knelt down to pray.  Crying out I begged God to take away my troubled thoughts of inadequacy and pleaded with Him for serenity.  Finding my phone, I text my closest prayer warriors, asking them to be praying along side of me.  Within moments of their timely responses and prayers, that pressure that was just minutes before consuming my mind was eliminated.  

What remained was an illuminating passion, ingrained and sustained for the Almighty!

“My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught, because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked.”
– Psalm 55:2-3

Heavenly Father, thank You for never leaving us when we are down in a valley. Thank you for always being present when we are under constant pressure and scrutiny from the Enemy! Please Lord guide us today as we encounter countless distractions and stresses that may build as pressure and may they be released into an illuminating passion for You! May we honor You in all we do, all we think, and all we say! In Your absolutely Holy and Precious name! Amen.

CHALLENGE: Grab a pen and make a list of all the pressures that are awaiting you today. Write them down, say them out loud and pray over them! Do not let them control your day! Surrender that control to the Almighty!