I am coming to believe that trauma is simply the Devil’s doorway. The more trauma you go through, the wider that doorway is. The wider that doorway is, the more demons move in – fear, anxiety, depression, inadequacy… The list goes on. The list of darkness that puts out the light. The things that cause the trauma – abuse, neglect, abandonment, rejection, etc… – are the sledgehammers, the crowbars, the bulldozers Satan uses to widen that doorway. The “walls” you build to protect yourself… Those are the bars to your prison. Yes, those walls protect you from the world; at the same time, they push those who truly love you away. You lock the true you away because the true you wasn’t right for those who were part of your trauma. Then when you’re surrounded by true love, you’re already locked up. And those demons come out to play as often as they see opportunity.

Stop listening to them. Stop hiding from them. They’re not going to leave on their own. And you can’t get rid of them on your own. Once you’ve locked yourself in that prison, Jesus is the only key. He’s the only way out.

If you keep chasing the things the world has told you, you’ll never measure up. You’ll never win. The world has a way of keeping double standards so you never can win. John the Baptist showed up not eating or drinking anything, the world said he had a devil. Then Jesus showed up and hung out with the sinners, eating and drinking with them, and the world called him gluttonous and a winebibber.

Chase the world… and you’ll always lose.

Chase Jesus… and I bet the real you starts evicting those demons.

Chase Jesus… and I bet you start to enjoy life… despite what any devil from your past has had to say about you.

You know what’s true and what’s not. You know what’s been in your heart and what hasn’t. And guess what? So does He. He knows you better than anyone could possibly know you. Let Him in, and He’ll give you everything you need to purge your demons – strength, courage, peace, acceptance, love, truth.

Let Him in… so you can let the real you out.

Better yet… Kick the Devil out… before he uses you to widen someone else’s doorway.