Picture: Counsel #26 — Misguided Appetites CWe 115.1
Neglect, sin, secrets, and self-sufficiency create fertile ground for Satan to mislead and deceive you, further spoiling your appetite for God. Whenever you neglect prayer, studying Scripture, and fellowship with other believers, you directly weaken your connection with God, leaving room for the enemy’s lies to take root. CWe 115.2
Repeated and secret sin will eventually harden your heart and make you more susceptible to guilt, shame, and spiritual blindness. Giving in to temptation while refusing to repent of the wrongdoing feeds directly into Satan’s strategy to shame and separate you from God’s love and the accountability of others. Self-sufficiency further fuels pride, making you believe you can navigate life on your own. Having this mindset is both dangerous and unwise - it blinds you to your dependence on God, leaving you vulnerable to Satan’s whispers that you don’t need the Lord. Over time, these barriers will dull your spiritual hunger and lead you astray. To combat this, you must confess your sins and stay rooted in God’s word, so that you can be aware and vigilant against the enemy’s schemes.[148] https://www.meadowglade.com/devotional/2020/11/18/stay-focused CWe 115.3
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22 NIV CWe 115.4
“No man, woman, or youth can attain to Christian perfection and neglect the study of the Word of God.” Ellen White in The Faith I Live By, p. 223 CWe 115.5
Reflect: What things in your life are distracting you from your relationship with God? What steps will you take to get rid of them? CWe 115.6
