Screwtape Letters

C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letter's" is a different take on how Christians should analyze their lives and behavior. The perspective of the book is from two devils, one senior giving advice to the junior devil about a particular person (patient). The chapter we focused on in class was about being a lukewarm Christian and the dangers of doing so. Lewis states in the perspective of Screwtape (the senior devil), "As long as he retains externally the habits of a Christian he can still be made to think of himself as one who has adopted a few new friends and amusements but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was six weeks ago". Being a lukewarm Christian is so dangerous because, most of the time, we cannot see the emptiness because we are filling it by going through the motions.

It is so important that we, as Christians, make sure to see how the devil is working in our lives, especially in the little things that are hard to notice. In class, we talked about how the devil works in the area of our habits. The devil wants us to not change our action right away, but instead to change our inward thought so that no one will notice. This is a gradual, snowball effect and once it starts growing it will become harder to stop. I believe that one strategy that we can do in order to be intentional about our habits is by having an accountability partner. I find that when I'm in the middle of a hard time spiritually, it is difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what I'm doing wrong because I have become blinded by the situation. It is so important to have a trusted friend on the outside of the situation who is observing and can offer advice.

We also talked about how the devil almost likes Christians going to church better because we feel as though our spiritual life is okay, when in fact, we are just going through the motions of spirituality. The devil wants us to cover up clear thinking with false confidence. On the other hand, God wants us to go to church wholeheartedly and intentionally. This hit me hard because I have been going to church my whole life. Some Sundays I do not want to be there and get absolutely nothing out of the sermon. A good strategy for myself is to make sure that I get at least one thing out of the sermon that I can discuss with my family or friends. This is a small but important step to help me slowly grasp the importance of church in my spiritual walk.

Although these are just small changes, it is so important to be aware of what the devil is trying to do and have a strategy against him. We need to remember that "Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts..." Remember to be intentional!