I’m pretty sure our cat is demon-possessed. He doesn’t act like the ones you see on that cable show, “My Cat from Hell.” He doesn’t hiss and spit or claw at us. He does get a little grumpy when I give him his laxative every day – but that’s another story. (There’s nothing worse than a constipated cat. Trust me!) But I’m convinced he’s being used by Satan.
Socks is 12 years old. He’s a 20-pound Maine Coon tuxedo cat. And even though technically he belongs to all of us, he’s really my baby. He’s never too far from wherever I am in the house unless I’m running the sweeper. Whenever he needs food or water or treats or affection or someone to play with, it’s usually me that he comes and talks to about his needs. And it’s hard to ignore a needy 20-pound cat. The problem is, he seems to be the neediest at 8:30 in the morning. You may wonder why that’s a problem.
Many years ago I decided I needed to schedule my quiet time with God. If I waited until I found some free time during the day, I usually didn’t find any. You’ve probably heard that old saying, “If Satan can’t get you to sin, he’ll keep you busy.” I would end up giving God the leftovers at the end of the day. So I set aside 8:30 A.M. for my daily appointment with God. I let him speak to me through his Word and then I talk to him and write things down in my prayer journal. But you’d be amazed how the devil uses Socks to interrupt my devotions. He cries at me and rubs my legs and tries to get me to follow him. Then usually he will get up on the table and lay on my Bible or my journal and purr and want me to scratch under his chin. Or he’ll roll around and knock my books on the floor. I’m sure Satan is using him to keep me from focusing on God.
What does Satan use to distract you when you’re trying to spend some time with the Lord? Your phone? Your kids? The TV? Your spouse? Your pet? The buzzing dryer? It can be anything. For me, the only thing that helped me be consistent was to designate a certain chunk of my day as God’s time. You make time for the things in your life that are important to you. Don’t let the devil use lesser things – even if they’re cute and furry – to cheat you out of something better!
Dianne