Man's Greatest Enemy

Man’s Greatest Enemy
And why does that bird keep flying into my window?

It has been said that “man is his greatest enemy.” I know that I am mine. Satan has gotten me to the place where I have become so defeated, so now he has turned it over to me to continue on that course, dwelling on the past constantly, holding grudges, being hurt and oversensitive, wishing for something better…what a writer whom I have forgotten her name called it “stinkin’ thinkin’,” and even burdening my friends with it.

Well I’ve decided I can’t continue on this journey anymore. Yes, I do find joy in my life but the memories of the past are always there lurking in the shadows. God should have made me an elephant, because I just can’t forget anything. And the memories are strong, like they just happened yesterday. Why do they not heal?

Well just the other day God pointed something out to me, and it amazes me how creatively by his grace he does this.

There is a red cardinal that flies into and hits our bedroom window with extreme force every morning over and over again. I’m surprised he’s still alive. He does this about 3 times a day. A few months ago I asked my husband about this tenacious bird and asked if he was seeing something in the window that was attracting him causing to hit it with such force continually. My husband said it might be the floral arrangement in the window he sees and the bird thinks it’s real. Well we’ve lived here almost a year and he has been doing this, even in the winter, flying forcefully into the window every day.

Well, a few days ago I was in my workroom and my husband brought me an article and read a few sentences from it. It was quite interesting but I didn’t read it at the time but tacked it up on the wall. Yesterday, I noticed the article and took time to read it:

It said, “Why birds are hitting the windows. For example, if it is spring or summer and a male cardinal repeatedly knocks himself against the window, it is likely that the cardinal sees his reflection and is defending his territory against the handsome male cardinal reflection that he sees.” It further goes on to say that this need only be temporary until breeding season is over. Then the article gives suggestions to discourage this.

Well, I thought about that, as the bird is really missing out on courting season, what he’s supposed to be doing because he is being defeated and distracted and beating himself up every day because of his reflection which is in reality a “non-existing foe.” He has become his greatest enemy!

My point is, like the bird I have been constantly being defeated and attacking myself as I’ve become a non-existing foe, wasting my time on myself with negative thoughts, choices and discouragement, when I could be doing something else so much better that God has planned for me to be doing. Like the bird, he’s spending most of his time in the window, which is not God’s perfect plan; I have been spending most of my time beating myself up and not experiencing God's perfect plan for me. I have become "MY" own worst enemy!

How do we stop attacking ourselves like the bird in the window, beating ourselves up daily and start doing what we were created to do?

My past is my past. I have to stop beating myself against a window because I am not the enemy, a reflection of a non-existing foe. I have to go beyond cruelties that were done to me that I did not deserve, but I also have to go beyond wrongs I have done to others. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 65:3 “Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you (Jesus) forgive them all.” I have to fly away from the window and not keep coming back, and now do what God intends for me to do as he shows me His plan.

My mother before she became legally blind would write me the most loving letters and cards, this one I have on the wall in my workroom, she didn’t write it but it is a famous quote she sent me from St. Francis of Assisi:

“The Serenity Prayer”
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

I am not my enemy. I have made the choice to no longer do battle with a non-existing foe. Yes, Satan is existing for a short time, but God has overcome the world and through Christ so have we. What a merciful God we serve. Thank you God for there is no greater deliverer than you.

Addendum: You know it's the next day and that red cardinal is still forcefully flying into the window attacking himself as the enemy, wasting time on himself while the other birds are cheerfully chirping out in the woods. This bird is annoying to me but I take it as a strong reminder from God because the bird will continue to do this, but I have the choice not to go back. I choose to chirp with the birds. I feel free. Godspeed!

September 8, 2008
This morning I walked out on the back deck and I probably surprised him, but that red cardinal was in this antique bird cage outside the door where I display flowers inside it. He was looking at his reflection in the flower pot and within seconds because of his paused preoccupation I could have shut the door and he could have been trapped forever, but I didn't. God has not shut the door on us. His door is open wide for us to turn to him and give us freedom and release from our preoccupations that keep us trapped. In the Bible it says "Jesus sets the captives free." Do you want to be free? Jesus is here right now with the door wide open. He alone is the true deliverer...will you trust Him today?