The Devil Made Me do It
"Being the Divine Physician, our Redeemer alone can heal us from our sins. If, full of hope, we continue to persevere in bringing to Him all the different aspects of our misery, then one day the moment will arrive when He will bend over us in response to our trustful begging for healing, finally uniting with us completely." GOD Alone Suffices, p. 71
While I certainly believe in the devil and his desire to keep us from God, I get concerned when too much emphasis is put on him, especially when it comes to working with people seeking help in healing from a past abortion.
Oh, there is no doubt that much of what needs to be moved through in healing is a spiritual battle, but in most cases it is a battle with our own brokenness, our own sinfulness that screams at us of unforgiveness and despair. In other words, the devil, in most cases, does not have to work very hard, because we are doing his work for him.
Temptations to despair, desolation, and isolation are a few of the many ways we allow ourselves to stay seeped in the pit of post abortion existence.
For someone new to a ministry, speaking of the devil is not a helpful thing. Most times these people are in a state of mind that very often is filled with fear, guilt and shame and this approach only leads to more paralyzing behaviors and thoughts. Unless the person has the aid of a spiritual director, more harm can be done than good in expecting they can discern a spirit within them without someone guiding them in their journey towards God and healing.
It is easy to say “the devil made me do it” but in truth most people have abortions because of the way they were living their lives. Knowledge of post abortion issues and development of a relationship with God who gently causes them to look at their sin in the light of His love and forgiveness for them will move those suffering to see the truth and work through the healing process.
In cases where there is diabolical presence, again, a trained person needs to move through the healing process with the person, they should never be left on their own to discern.
The result of original sin is our inclination to do our own will, it is easy to pass the buck to the devil, but most times we would find we messed up without his help, the good news is Jesus is waiting for us to lead us to His mercy and provide the instruments we need to heal. So, instead of looking at the darkness of the devil, cast your eyes on the SON who is sure to bring you His light.