Who Is Sitting at Your Table?

Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to teach a class at the Christian women’s rehabilitation center that I have been interning/volunteering at. The lesson that the women were about to begin was Louie Giglio’s “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table”. As I prepared for the lesson, I gained a deeper understanding of how our table is a sacred place, prepared by God Himself, where we find spiritual nourishment, companionship, and peace. It is a source of hope and encouragement during challenging periods in our lives. However, it is also a place that the enemy can creep into if we are not vigilant.

I, personally, am terrible about allowing the enemy to take a seat at my table, especially when it comes to my thoughts about myself. While I consider myself an optimistic person and try to always look on the brighter side of things knowing that I can put my full faith in God, I still have an issue with negative self-talk. I allow forms of negativity about myself to take root in my mind and unfortunately, these thoughts often paralyze me and prevent me from moving forward.

Recently, Joe and I were on our way to church and we were running late. Joe and I had woken up a little later than usual which put both of us behind schedule. As I finished getting ready, I fussed at Joe about hurrying up. Frantically, I kept looking at the clock and then back at Joe. What is taking him so long, I thought to myself. I was serving that morning on the prayer team and I did not want to be late. As time grew near for us to leave, I started to give Joe a countdown – “We have to go in ten minutes, I told him from the bedroom.” “We need to leave in five minutes, I shouted from the kitchen.” “Joe, we are going to be late, we have to leave now! I stated as he was putting his shoes on.” Why couldn’t he just understand how much this matters to me, I thought to myself.

Minutes later, Joe was ready and we headed out the door. As we got to his car, I realized that I forgot my wallet and quickly ran back into the house to grab it. As I got to the car, Joe jokingly said “Finally! You know we are going to be late.” Exasperated, I looked at him in disbelief. I know that he is not blaming me for being late. I had been waiting on him for the last fifteen minutes. It’s amazing how quickly I forgot that he was running late because I was the one initially running late and hogging the shower and hot water. Anyway, as I tried to explain to him that it was me who had been waiting on him ALL morning, Joe replied that he did not know why I had to fuss at him EVERY time we headed to church.

Why that word “EVERY” hit me so differently, I will never understand but I do know that the enemy took hold of it, grabbed a seat at my table, and began using the current situation I was in against me. Immediately the enemy began telling me that I do cause DIVISION every time we go to church. Yes, that is right – he took the one word “FUSS” and turned it into “DIVISION”. Next the enemy began telling me that I had no right going to church, after all, if I couldn’t keep my family life perfect, I had no business praying for others.

My head began to throb and I felt sick to my stomach. I looked at Joe and asked him to please take me back home. Joe turned to look at me and before he could say anything, I told him, “I need you to take me back home.” As Joe turned the car around, I stared blankly out the window. Once we were home, I quickly jumped out, wishing him a good service at church. I shut the car door and headed inside, never looking back. Once inside, I made my way straight to the bedroom and crawled under the comforter.

For hours I laid in my bed with the covers up and over my head. Was the enemy, right? Do I need to remove myself from the prayer team? Am I really incapable? My head was hurting so badly. All I wanted to do was sleep and forget this morning ever happened. I didn’t want to deal with the fact that I had just allowed the enemy a seat at my table and that by doing so, I not only allowed him to keep me from fellowship and listening to God’s word, but I also allowed him to keep me from a calling God had put on my life – praying for others.

Since that day, I have been more mindful to incorporate two things that I learned from Louie Giglio’s study plan. First, I always ask myself if the thought I am thinking is from God? God does not give us thoughts of condemnation. Instead like the loving Father that He is, He gives us thought of conviction and correction. He will never make blanket statements but instead will provide us the wisdom and knowledge so that we can correct our course. The second thing that I ask myself is if my thought is in accordance with God’s word. If the answer to either is “NO” then I rebuke the thought in the name of Jesus.

While I will never be able to keep the enemy from trying to take a seat at my table, I can choose if he actually sits down or not. By asking myself those two simple questions, I can be mindful of who and what occupies the space in my head. By staying in God’s word daily and keeping my focus on Him in all things, I can sit at the table that God prepared for me and enjoy spiritual nourishment, companionship, and peace without any uninvited guests.

Do you struggle with the enemy trying to take a seat at your table? In what ways has the enemy crept into your table? What are some strategies that you have used to keep the enemy from actually sitting at your table? Please share in the comments.