Silence. It can be good and a bit scary.
Scary because it's often in the silent moments when we actually have time to think that our minds become full of insecurity, discontentment, and fear as we fight to suppress the pain we've buried or the fears of inadequacy we have. Completely unwanted, kind of like those extra 10 pounds. Hypothetically speaking, of course.
I had a lot of time while I was recovering from my pacemaker surgery to sit and I could feel my mind fill with insecurity, doubts, and discontentment. You see, I'm an achiever on the Enneagram so too much sitting makes me feel useless and like I'm failing. This is often why we avoid slowing down and finding time for purposeful rest because of the lies of Satan that just seem to come in these quiet times.
As I was praying during this time the Lord took me to 1 Peter 5:6-9 and I want to highlight verse 8,
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
The Greek word for sober is, néphó, meaning to have a "presence of mind" which means to be calm.
Now, this is completely opposite of what our natural inclination is, especially for an achiever like me. Often, in those anxious moments we want to do something, accomplish something, suppress, or whatever it is you do to cope. But, God tells us instead to stay calm when the enemy comes to attack our identity (because that's what it's about isn't it?) and later in v. 9a to "Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."
The way we resist the devil is to stand firm on who are you in Christ. We replace lies with the Truth of God's Holy Word. Beloved, you are not defined by what you do or what's happened to you, but instead by the Father's love for you. You are His child, purchased, redeemed, and secure.
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