Question: Once again, just before my husband and I tried to go out for a “date” night, we got into an argument over something minor and it ruined the whole evening.  How do we stop this depressing pattern?

Answer:  First you and your husband should discuss the fact that this pattern of behavior happens.  Then, pray together that God would guide your conversations with each other and bless you to communicate with each other in a way that would be pleasing to Him.  Seek out good Christian resources to help you with this like the ones found on the Focus on the Family web site, www.focusonthefamily.com.   Bottom line: you’ve got to stop letting the devil steal your joy!

You see, having the devil interfere in your life trying to cause trouble is nothing new.  Satan works to cause us trouble.  He even tried to cause trouble for Jesus Christ, Himself.  Matthew 4:10 tells of the time when Satan tried to tempt Jesus to serve him instead of serving God. Satan took Jesus up on a high mountain to show Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Satan promised to give Jesus all the kingdoms if Jesus would worship him.  But Jesus said, “Away with you, Satan!  For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'” ( NKJV)  Like Jesus, we too should be ready to speak the power of the Holy Word against the devil when we see he is trying to disrupt our lives.

There will be other times when we believe we are following God’s plan for our lives and Satan will try to get us off track.  He may even do this by using someone in our lives we trust to try to derail us.  He attempted this against Jesus.  When the time came for Jesus to be crucified — to take the punishment in our place that we deserved for our sins — He began to explain to His disciples what was going to happen.  That’s when His disciple Peter, “took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you!'” But Jesus recognized these words of the devil speaking through Peter.  So Jesus pushed back by saying to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23)  Again, like Jesus, we must be on guard against sinful advice even from those we consider friends.  We must understand that it is the devil who is trying to use them to pull us away from God.

Therefore, when you can sense, for example, that an unhealthy argument is coming on between you and that other person — be it a spouse, child, parent, friend, or even a stranger — be on guard.  Recognize this for what it really is, the work of the devil trying to destroy the joy of your relationship.  Stop and pray to God to give you the right words to say.  And, remember Ephesians 4:26-27, “‘Be angry, and do not sin,’ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”  Remember, Satan wants to destroy our positive relationships and cause all kinds of trouble in our lives because he is evil.  He wants us to be miserable and defeated just like him.

Above all, Satan wants to stop you from accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, from joyfully living your life to please God, and from having everlasting life in Heaven.  Don’t let him do it!  Accept Jesus Christ as your one and only Savior and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Turn away from your life of sin and start enjoying the blessed life God wants for you.

Jesus wants us to take comfort in His Words from John 10:10.  “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Take comfort in His words and stop letting the devil steal your joy!

Re-posted from June 4, 2016

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