The Beast

I am on a familiar journey right now.  One I hoped never to travel again in my life, but here I am, a year after defeat facing The Beast again.

 For those of you who have not been acquainted, the beast is not simply “the blues” or a sad day.  The beast attacks you from within.  It makes you doubt who you belong to or what your value truly is.  It makes allies into adversaries.  Frankly, it screws with your mind.

 The beast and I have been acquainted for as long as I can remember.  

It sucks potential from me and

helps me push away those who love me best.

** It takes away my will to live** and has almost achieved its goal more than once.

 How do you fight such an adversary?  You might ask this question, and I know I have throughout my life.  It is like finding your way down a rocky mountainside on a moonless night.  One false step and you plummet to your demise. Stay where you are and you die of exposure.

 I have found Him who can defeat the Beast.  The Bright and Morning Star.  Unfortunately, you must reach your hand out into that inky nothingness before the living light shines and guides you home.  Faith, that is called.  The hardest thing for a person in the grip of the Beast to find, Faith.

 I am here to say Faith exists, as does the one who engenders it – Jesus.  This trip to the mountainside, although tiresome and painful, contains hope.  I know that He who loves me is there and I just need to reach out my hand.

 Amazingly enough, I have found that as I reach out, many, many others reach out as well. We are better in community.  That’s why Jesus didn’t travel alone!

 I hope this post finds you well.  I hope you remember that Christ has a body, and that body longs to love you!  Reach out, there is a hand that will catch you. Don’t die alone and shivering on that lonely mountainside.