Spiritual Eclipses aren’t as exciting as a Solar Eclipse. That darkness and overshadowing isn’t “Cool.” It’s terrifying. Darkness isn’t supposed to be in the soul of someone filled with Light.
The Solar Eclipse
We just experienced an amazing Solar Eclipse. In fact, the Nashville area was one of the areas of totality with 90% viewing in some areas. As much as I’m enjoying Colorado, I missed sharing this moment with my Nashville Home folks.
My procrastination got the best of me again. So I was more than bummed when the Eclipse day arrived and we forgot to plan ahead enough to get the glasses.
Over and over again we heard and read the warnings about “sneaking a peek” without the protective eyewear. It’s easy to justify or disregard the warning.
Surely, a second wouldn’t hurt my eyes. The warning stated, “you may feel nothing at the time but could easily have extensive damage down the road in your later years.”
Thinking About My Spiritual Life
This got me thinking about our spiritual life. We are warned by people, through scripture, even by the Holy Spirit’s nudging, and yet curiosity leads us astray sometimes.
We rationalize and convince ourselves that just a taste, just a touch, one little peek, couldn’t do that much damage.
Just Look At Samson’s Life
I’m certain Samson thought that. His Philistine wife had lulled him to sleep spiritually. She manipulated him and wore him down.
Weakening him, she became stronger through her cunning crafty ways.
Even before that, He found a harlot. Women seemed to be a weak area for Samson. Samson was one tough dude but not tough enough physically to resist the temptation.
This would require a spiritual strength. He needed wisdom. He needed to not let His guard down, knwing He was vulnerable. Each time he gave in, His spiritual strength diminished.
Temptation Comes To Your Weakness
Delilah’s lustful enticement was directed at His weakness. It came right after a spiritual victory. He finds himself weary, in the valley. He sees her. She sees His strength.
The enemy has already set the stage with mental manipulations in Delilah’s minds.
The enemy whispers the plan to her. Convincing her that if she cracks the code to His strength, he will be depleted. Empty. Nada. Zilch.
Delilah doesn’t want Samson, she wants to deplete His strength. Strength depleted means no more spiritual victories because one touch, one taste, leads to another touch, another taste.
After a while you forsake the spiritual victories for fleshly indulgences. They’re a counterfeit to lure you and promise to loose you. To free you. But they don’t. They don’t because they can’t. They’re a lie. Lies can never free you. Only truth can do that.
Every time he gave into the “glance,” the spiritual ropes of bondage grew tighter and tighter. Like a python promising to give you a gentle hug.
But snakes don’t hug. They suffocate. So do Delilah’s.
Samson experienced a spiritual eclipse. But not the good kind. He was called, anointed, and strong, until He was lured away. Thinking He could “handle it” he got further and further away from His strength. His True North.
What Do YOU Lean On?
Leaning and relying on our own strength, or our own devices almost always is revealed through defeat and regret.
Ignoring the warnings may not catch you that second, but down the road the damage appears.
The process of recovery can happen, but there is a lot of time lost when the enemy detours us with those short glances.
Stay the course, wear the spiritual glasses that protect those delicate eyes.so
And by all means don’t give your strength away.
Then you can experience the fullness of what God desires for your life.
What do you think? Have you had a spiritual eclipse that caused you to suffer?
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
