One on hand, Peaks can be more dangerous than troughs, but troughs are where the devil attempts to break us. Screwtape notes that when a man is at a low point, that is when he is most vulnerable to attacks. I found it interesting how Lewis explains the attacks of the devil are done on us when we are in trough periods. The devil takes the pleasure of this world created by God that are meant to be healthy and good, and distorts them and imposes the tainted pleasure on us in our troughs. Sexual pleasures are used by the devil to strongly tempt us as well as the pleasure of drink that he twists into alcoholism. Screwtape tells his nephew that it is much easier to gain a man’s soul using drink while he is sad, alone, and feels distant from God than gain a man’s soul when he is sharing a drink or two with friends during a peak period.
Not only does the devil attempt to rope us in with pleasures, but he directly attacks our faith during trough periods. We are susceptible even more so than normal during trough times to thoughts of doubt and anger towards God because we do feel distant from him. Thus, simontaniously troughs are places where we learn most about the strength of our faith and can be absolutely broken in our faith by the sly works of the devil. God allows us to be in these low places where we can be so broken, yet have the chance to grow immensely. Therefore, I’ve come to the conclusion…and I think this is ground breaking here…Christianity and being a Christian living in this world...aint easy.
peaks and troughs (Maui, Hawaii) 2008.
thend.
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