Photo by Pam Ecrement

If you listen carefully, you will daily hear about loss, disappointment, rejection, betrayal, loneliness, and other things, which tear at the fibers of our being and weigh down our hearts until we feel we can no longer bear it.

There are many arrows sent to halt our forward movement toward the path we are called to follow. They come from many sources, many directions. The enemy’s purpose has less to do with killing us perhaps and more to do with dissuading us from moving ahead, to take our eyes off the goal, weaken our resolve, and cloud our understanding.

As a result, we can be caught in the web of the enemy’s designs much like a spider ensnares a living meal to enjoy at its leisure.

Many of the things sent to assault our hearts that I have listed are things we would likely all recognize and acknowledge we have faced at least once in our lives. An insidious enemy that may be far more dangerous lurks about in the atmosphere, however, one we are often slower to recognize, and one we seem less skilled at fighting.

The enemy?

Indifference.

Indifference nibbles at the edges of our hearts steadily creating the belief that no one cares about us, feels concern for us, or views us as important. If this simmers long enough, we begin to believe that perhaps the Lord is indifferent to us as well because our desires have been thwarted, our suffering has not been relieved, or the darkness has not lifted.

Elie Wiesel said, “Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies.”

“To be treated with indifference is the greatest tragedy a human soul can suffer.” Tonny K. Brown

A tragic result of the wounds we experience over time is when we deliberately choose to be and act indifferently toward others in an effort to protect our hearts from further pain.

Indifference becomes something we accept as a part of our lives without paying attention to the nibbling that produces a slowly simmering anger birthing resentment and corroding our awareness of how far we have slipped away from the truth.

We have forgotten (if we ever knew) that the enemy of our hearts, Satan himself, knows we are indeed precious, important, and valuable. He knows we were created with a purpose, a calling, and a divine destiny.

If he can deceive us so that we believe we are uncared for by a friend, a family member, or anyone else, he shrouds the truth of who we are from us. The results pull us farther off course.

We start to rely on ourselves alone because it feels too risky to trust the Lord or anyone else again. We do not even rightly discern love and care when it is shown to us.

The world has been pulled over our eyes.

We have forgotten there is an unseen world we live in the midst of and we are caught up in a great battle, a battle for our hearts and minds.

We cannot afford to indulge in indifference.

We must not forget whose we are and why the enemy of our souls is intent on trying to cause us to forget.

We are the beloved of God. He deemed us worthy of sending Himself as His Son to demonstrate how precious and loved we were and are. Despite our condition, He chose to sacrifice Himself for us.

He calls us His children.

He calls us his bride.

He has chosen us again and again.

He never stops loving us.

How great a love could we ever know? Even if no one else loves us, He does. He does. Even when we are messed up, He looks at us with love, mercy, and grace.

The truth is

• God loves me more than I can imagine (Romans 8:39)
• God forgives me, no matter what my sin if I return to Him (I John 1:9)
• When I do not give up and attempt to do His will, He provides (Phil. 4:13)
• If I seem to fail, He gives me another opportunity (Psalm 37:24)
• God never wants me to give up or forget who He is (Joshua 1; 5,7,9)
• If I give up on myself, it will make it harder for me to see His love (Psalm 105:10-12)

Stand guard against indifference within yourself. Help others to do the same.

In that way, we defend our hearts against the arrows of the enemy and we stand.