Mary felt trapped. She vowed never to return home. That was out of the question. … But rage, bitterness, resentment, and emotional damage imprisoned her soul. ~ Tessa ~ Shelley’s Petals, page 8
“Ignorance is bliss.” This common saying suggests that a lack of knowledge leads to happiness or peace of mind. Other similar sayings are “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” or “Out of sight, out of mind.” This approach to life presumes that life will be better if we focus on the good and ignore the bad and ugly.
Distinguished seminary professor, Dr. Howard Hendricks, would often say, “Good is the enemy of the best.” When we focus solely on the “good” and choose to suppress, ignore, or make excuses for the bad and ugly, we prevent ourselves from experiencing the best that God has for us. His redemption and restoration produce growth that overcomes and exceeds the damage from the bad and ugly. The road to restoration isn’t easy, but the rewards far outweigh the effects of suppressing, ignoring, or making excuses for the truth.
Ignorance is not bliss; ignorance is hazardous to our spiritual well-being. We are continually in a spiritual battle, and Satan seeks to keep us ignorant of his schemes and the ongoing spiritual attacks on our souls (Eph 6:11). Jesus contrasted the enemy’s operation with His saying, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Satan and his demonic forces attack us to steal our joy, kill our hope, and destroy our faith by causing us to believe his lies. But Jesus’ counter to Satan’s schemes is to replace ignorance with truth. He said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Any form of abuse is evil, and sexual abuse of a child ranks at the top of my list. Demonic influence is behind the actions of perpetrators, who have allowed the devil to gain a foothold. Still, perpetrators can’t blame demons for their horrendous actions. They exercised their free will and chose to abuse; therefore, they remain responsible for their actions.
But the devil’s work is never done and doesn’t end with his influence on the perpetrator. His broader goal is to imprison the victim’s wounded heart and to keep them bound by lies, killing any hope for healing and wholeness. In his book Understanding the Wounded Heart, Dr. Marcus Warner of Deeper Walk International clearly outlines Satan’s spiritual warfare strategy involving four elements—wounds, lies, vows, and strongholds. In the next post, we’ll take a closer look at how Shelley fell into Satan’s trap and how this may apply to you.
Stop and consider.
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