When we are suffering temptation, we are hearing the promises of the devil. However, he is the father of lies. Therefore, all that he says and promises appears good, but it is all lies.
The devil tells us that if we are not listening to God and we are in sinning, we are going to enjoy ourselves, our life will be better and we are going to be happy. But that is all lies
That which the devil is saying is don’t listen to God!
I am a priest for almost 17 years, and in all those years, my work includes giving counsel to those that listen to the devil. I hear what they confess. They tell me that they are very sad, some are crying, they do not have the ability to forgive themselves and each one began by believing that everything that the devil told them was the truth.
God is saying to us that He knows that which is best for us, for our happiness and future. We have to only listen and to obey Him and we are going to experience this happiness forever. However, when we listen to the devil and obey him, we realize afterwards that he lied to us and we become discouraged.
Jesus tells us that by their fruits you will know those that are from the Father. The fruits of listening and obeying the Lord are exactly what Jesus promises us. The fruits of listening and obeying the devil are exactly the opposite to what the devil promises.
Occasionally, I listen to someone who wants to sin and the person tells me that which he may want to do. I say tell the reality—that I listen to those that were thinking the exact same thing, but after they committed the sin, they had great regret. All that they believed was a lie, but they discovered it too late.
A Protestant minister once wrote in a magazine for ministers and priests in the United States that he fell into the temptation of sex once. He regretted for many years while the pleasure he had in a cheap hotel room lasted no more than ten minutes.
When we experience temptation, look to God and also to Our Mother, and remember that promises of the temptation are from the devil and all his promises are lies.
God Bless You,
Fr. Robert J. Carr.
Alliance Member of the New Song Community.
Published originally in Spanish