The subject of The Screwtape Letters is a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior tempter named Wormwood, advising him on ways of securing the damnation of a British man, called "the Patient". Throughout the book Screwtape gives Wormwood detailed advice on methods of undermining faith and promoting sin in the Patient. The observations on human nature and Christian doctrine have made The Screwtape Letters an often quoted, discussed and shared book by Christians and non-Christians alike, as it reflects a great deal of human nature, which we all share commonly together.
In the beginning of this series of 31 letters, I have already experienced many opportunities to reflect on my personal nature, as it relates to the observations of Screwtape.
In letter 3, Screwtape advises Wormwood to set up a good habit of mutual annoyances between the Patient and his mother, with whom he lives. These annoyances are referred to as 'daily pinpricks'. He follows with methods of how to develop these pinpricks, and thereby finding the very ones in ourselves. It is very insightful, as I said, painfully so,... but through reflection there is valuable lessons to share...
It is helpful for me to take a note on some of the daily pinpricks I let myself take root in. And they are often too easy to find... can I share some? For instance, like collecting the littered laundry around the house and the forgotten trash that didn’t make it to the curb, yet again. The reality that dating ended when we got married, and then playing my broken record of requests to three young players, which I myself am sick of hearing.
These ‘annoyances’ are often things I cannot change or control, and maybe THAT IS the fact I find disturbing. These annoyances I often find in my marriage and through motherhood (or is it that I look for them).
It is the very purposes that I thought to ‘prepare’ myself for, as I can remember beginning from the age of 15 and looking forward to taking care of my own family. To care, nurture, teach, encourage, support and serve… they are not qualities that merely materializes, but I see my need to adapt to the lives, feelings, and experiences of marriage and motherhood and see that it is God’s way of granting me the very things I dreamed of and prayed for… to be cared for, nurtured, taught, encouraged, supported and served through His lessons and blessings for me in my life’s experiences.
It is through the lesson of our 'daily pinpricks', that I have come to learn, I must go to the Lord. This was the inspiration I received at a very dark and lonely moment, knowing then, that I wasn’t alone. That these daily annoyances, were beyond my understanding in many ways, and thought these ‘pinpricks’ are small, they are large in the grand design of my own life. They are individual to each of us, as we each have our own lessons to learn. These are the very life lessons that are asked of me in order to find the blessings of being THAT wife and mother that cares, nurtures, teaches, encourages, supports,… and yes, serves.
We may not find joy in these annoyances, and that is understandably so. But it is a help to remember that their purposes are not served as a a thorn in our side... but imagine them as a fragrance that guides us through our garden of life's lessons... however unpleasant the aroma.
That reminds me, I need to take the trash out...
No comments:
Post a Comment