Screwtape Letters Part 1

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Screwtape Letters because I'm currently reading it. Part 1 because I'm almost positive I'll be blogging about something else (or a lot of something elses) in this book before I'm done!

From Uncle Wormwood (an experienced demon) to his nephew (a demon in training):

"The best thing, where it is possible, is to keep the patient [the man the nephew is put in charge of] from the serious intention of praying altogether....The simplest is to turn their gaze away from Him toward themselves. Keep them watching their own minds and trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills. When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them, instead, start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves and not notice that this is what they are doing. When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment."

Wow, I haven't thought about this in a long time. How often do I pray for forgiveness just because I feel guilty, not because I have wronged the holy God? Sometimes I just want to say sorry because I know I should or because I don't want to feel guilty anymore, but forget how serious sin is, how I grieve the Lord with my sin, how bad of a stench my sin is before the Holy Lord God Almighty.

Side note: I did not italicize "feelings", Sarah Beth; it was italicized in the book. I know what you're thinking, so just wanted to defend myself before you had a chance to speak ;)