What is wrong when something is wrong?

Old post #3.

The problem with us spiritual-minded people is that when things aren't going well we often interpret them in terms of spiritual warfare, as if Satan were attacking us because we feel uneasy or because things are falling apart. A good Catholic understanding of spirituality doesn't justify such an immediate leap because we believe that nature has a lot to do with the way things are going.

When things to wrong there are several possible causes. First of all, we may be experiencing physical stress due to lack of rest, inadequate nutrition or acute or chronic chemical imbalance. These are not the devil's fault! It may also be that we have made some bad choices, such as time-management, and are experiencing the consequences of those choices. Once again, not the devil's fault. Sometimes we have some significant defects in our psychological makeup that cause us problems. We are in need of healing. Finally, since we are a work in progress and still prone to make wrong choices, our problem could stem from an inadequately cultivated virtue or a sinful choice. Sometimes we are just plain selfish or inordinately attached to a carnal good. Or we allow anger to take root in us, thus alienating us from the good in others. The devil is pleased when this is so and certainly will take advantage of it, but, once again, he is not directly causing the problem--our own lack of conversion is.

Now, that does not mean that the devil doesn't try to interfere with our lives, even and especially us Christians. He certainly does, and that is what Ignatian principles of spiritual discernment are all about. The problem is when we do not resist his advances with spiritual means (self-examination, trust and humility, sacramental life, including confession, prayer, ejaculations, invocations of Mary and the saints and our guardian angel). Satan wants us to fear him. If you are living a Christian life of conversation and resisting his advances you really have nothing to fear. If you are dejected and confused, angry and bitter, despairing of your spiritual progress and you give up, you are letting the devil have an upper hand.

"Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8-9)