A different perspective

[WeakButHopeful]

Two things have happened in the last few days that have helped me gain a new perspective on my relationship with Jesus. One is some wonderful advice I got from a member of CF right after I joined (I won't try to summarize that all in this posting, but it was great stuff). The other is I have been reading a book by C. S. Lewis called The Screwtape Letters. It is told from the point of view of two devils trying to win a soul for their "father below". I have seen so many examples in this book of ways I have been tricked...it's like reading about consumer rip-offs. For instance there's the comment that a man will get angry when he feels that someone has wasted his time when it was never his time to waste to start with. And there's the part about gluttony being possible in areas other than food...for instance, "all I ask is that other drivers obey the rules of the road and show me just a little courtesy, is that too much to ask?"...I now realize it is too much to ask (especially if by ask I mean demand). And there's the part about living my life in the future instead of the present. And there's the part about Jesus wanting to live in our innermost being, where our "will" exists, not pushed to outer circles of our thought or being. All these things, and more, apply to me.

So why do I bring this up? If people who are familiar with the book see any flaws in it I'd be interested in hearing such warnings (the previous paragraph proved I'm pretty easy for the devil to fool). On the other hand, if others agree that it's a good way of getting a different perspective on our struggle (Eph 6:12) then I figured it would be edifying to spread the word about it, and/or talk about it. Hopefully I picked the right forum (but I'm a newbie).

 

[Blessed-one]

you're in the right forum. Welcome to CF!

Two things have happened in the last few days that have helped me gain a new perspective on my relationship with Jesus.

And there's the part about living my life in the future instead of the present.

thanks for sharing. oh, that reminds me of putting your focus on heavenly and not earthly things part in the NT.

 

[admtaylor]

The Screwtape Letters is an awesome book. I recommend it to any believer. I like the part especially after he gets saved. From that point on the demons are focused on causing him to be inneffective. They know he can't be won to their side, but they can keep him from winning others to God's side.

Great book! I'll have to get mine out and read it again.

 

[Pseud]

I loved the book. As you know, the perspective is from the other side so it's like looking at the negative of a photograph of yourself. It fills in holes of wisdom, that you didn't really notice before, as if you're a piece of swiss cheese, and the book is liquid cheese pouring over you and filling those holes in.... uhhh.. anyway... yeah, i didn't see any flaws in it, but I'm a new christian, so there we go...

 

[WeakButHopeful]

Thanks for the feedback. Great, apparently both CF and the Screwtape Letters are going to help me grow in my relationship with Jesus and I thank God for calling my attention to both.

The other thing that Screwtape Letters makes clear is that for each improvement in our relationship with Jesus, the devils have a strategy to counter it. If we get humble, they try to make us feel proud of our humility. If we go to church, they try to make us look down on some others we see there. And so on. I think I am finally getting it through my thick head (thank you God) why I cannot expect to be free of struggle, but rather need to trust in Jesus for all the graces I need to get through each day, and to make use of those graces the best I can.

And I'm glad I posted to the right forum. Everyone at CF has made me feel so welcome. Thanks!

 

[Godsgrace]

In reading this discussion: I can not reply on the book, itself, I do not own one yet. I can, in reading other replies to it, only think of one thing to say at the moment. That is........

And they say, "it's human nature"?????? hmmmmmmmm.