If you

Matthew 4:1-11

The tempter comes and tempts you to engage with these thoughts:

If you are a good mom, why are your kids in prison?

If you are a good wife, why did your husband divorced you?

If you are a healthy eater why are you still so fat?

If you have common sense why are you so poor?

If you are healed why do you feel so sad most of the time?

If you are so spiritual why are you so rigid?

If you run your own business why you never have money?

If you are so interesting why people don’t like you?

If you are so beautiful why didn’t you marry yet?

If you are so humble why do you have such egoistic tendencies?

If you are so thoughtful why do you lose your temper too often?

If you have forgiven why do you still feel angry?

If you cook so well why no one complements your dishes?

If you go to therapy why are you still so moody?

If you give so much why aren’t they giving back?

If you are so organized why are you behind so many things?

If you receive Holy Eucharist why do you still watch porn?

If you are such a good leader why people complain so much?

If you are so poor why do you have such good computer?

If you are such a good writer why no one reads your blog?

If you are so good at your job why aren’t you paid more?

If you pray all the time why is God not hearing you?

If you are raising your kids with such attention why are they misbehaving do much?

If you are so nice why don’t you have more friends?

If you are so cool why don’t you influence more people?

If you care so much why others don’t appreciate you more?

If you exercise why aren’t you losing weight?

If you love your wife why is she gossiping about you?

If you serve God will all you can why is your life in shambles?

If you believe in God and live for Him why is he not helping you now?

He offends the Most High God in you by whispering these thoughts into your ear, through shouting them into your feelings. He torments you by reminding you your confessed and repented past sins. He accuses you through other people, and compares you to fake ideals through media.

The more intelligent you are, the more subtle ways he will use. The more spiritual you are, the more sneaky he will be.

Matt 4:2-3: The tempter approaches you AFTER your fast, WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY, to question your motives and God the Father’s love.

The safest ways to respond to such accusations is to quote the Word of God. And to laugh.

Shame leads to bondage.

Guilt leads to repentance, which is change in actions, not just sorrow in the heart.