THE WILES OF THE DEVIL

By knowing the presence of God we can easily detect the absence of God. The soul that entertains the presence of God is peaceful and restful. King David declares that the tabernacle of God is made in peace. 

And the soul's thoughts are most occupied with peaceful thoughts: 'Upon whom does my spirit rest, if not upon the humble and quiet?' (Is. 66.2).

And so he who would continue in God's rest and peace must see to it that, day and night, he puts down the spirit of the flesh and the spirit of the world, and, above all, the spirit of malice, wrath and wickedness, the most foul and filthy of the lot. 

We must be acquainted with his craftiness. He often puts on the clothing of virtue to render the greatest harm. But however holy and fair the false virtue he presents, therein lies the seeds of bitterness and discord. 

The wicked one often raises us up to some degree of seeming holiness, usually in matters of external observances and customs, so that we will look down on others. We judge others under the cloak of devotion and charity. The Fiend employs such tricks. But the person who refuses to consent and submits humbly to prayer and seeks appropriate counsel, by the grace of God, will be free from all these wiles. 

The Cloud of Unknowing

(updated 03-14-02)