i have, historically, had a hard time keeping my eyes on what is truth. when there is a conflict within me, with someone i love or someone i might not even know, it is very hard to see who my enemy is. my enemy is NOT my husband who just said something to hurt me. my enemy is NOT my child{ren} who choose a different path than the one i like...whether in the moment or life direction. my enemy is NOT the man who abused me, or the one who abused my children. my enemy is NOT my ex husband. my enemy is NOT the friend who betrayed my trust. my enemy is NOT the person who spoke harshly about something i did or said..... i have been camping on a saying my former pastor used to say all the time--'if you pinch it and it squeals, it's not your enemy'. what that means is.....we have an enemy. he is out to steal, kill and destroy....us and anything that involves us and our walk with god. but. we can't see that enemy. and that enemy is very wily....he will use what he knows will poke us and pester us...and try to steal our joy. he uses us, other people and circumstances to do just that. and it we aren't careful...very careful......

we fall for it.

we will look at the person who just spoke something, or did something or the grocery cart that has the wacky wheel ;) as our enemy. we start building walls to protect ourselves....and hold those other people responsible for the pain in us.....

when it is really a little, bitty nothing little man who thinks he is much bigger than he is.

so when someone does say something (because you know they will)...or someone does something that is so hurtful.....don't think of them as your enemy....realize who it is that is the source of the lies.....the hurt.....and put him in his place.

consider the source....