Vampire Slayer

        My friend made an off-hand remark, and it hurt. Just teasing, she had no idea she’d hit a vulnerable spot in my life. It wouldn’t have pained my heart so much, but I worried that what she said was partly true. I didn’t want to share the truth; therefore, I didn’t talk to her.

         A small creature knocked on my heart’s door. It offered to commiserate with me. “Invite me in and tell me all about it. You’ll feel better if you talk about it!” Small, dark and hooded, it’s red glowing eyes called to me. I stepped aside and allowed it to enter.

         Venting felt good. The creature responded, “Your friend doesn’t respect you, but I care about you. I’m all about you. Let’s focus on you.”

         Was it my imagination? It grew and sprouted wings. This creature flew into a high corner and roosted. I decided to deal with it later.

         That night, it woke me up. “Tell me the whole story again,” it requested. I complied, and it kept me awake the rest of the night rehearsing my misery. This bat, now I could see it, sucked up my time and energy, then disappeared.

         The next night, it returned. I wanted to sleep, to escape those eyes, but no, it insisted we continue. Besides the time and energy, it drained my joy. No longer any joy in my venting, it made me sick.

         “Who are you?” I asked, and it laughed at me.

“I don’t owe you any answers.”

“Go away!” I commanded.

“I don’t answer to you. You cannot control me. I’ll stay as long as I please.”

Fear gripped me. It lapped up my fear and grew larger. It appeared again a third night; I couldn’t stand it.

“Jesus, help me!” I wailed. “What have I done? Who or what has taken over my life?”

“It’s Resentment. You invited it into your life instead of coming to me,” Jesus said.

“Lord, I’m sorry. I’ve been so foolish. I should’ve come to you in the beginning with my anguish. I let Resentment in, but I didn’t understand what it was. I never thought it would take over my life.”

Resentment didn’t care that Jesus was with me. “I have every right to be here,” it boasted. “She invited me.” Resentment explained how I’d chosen this new way of life.

Jesus took me aside. “What it says is true, but I forgive you. There’s only one thing we can do.”

We picked up the cross together and plunged it into the heart of my Resentment. It dissolved into dust and blew away.

“Thank you, Lord, for freedom; I have a new love for my friend.”

There are so many vampires waiting for us to invite them into our lives: like greed, envy, selfishness, and laziness. Once we allow them in, they take over. We become their slaves. I don’t know if any have taken over your life, but I know the Vampire Slayer. You can’t slay them alone.

Romans 7:24-25a NKJV  O what a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!