Should’ve Could’ve Would’ve are from the Devil

C.S. Lewis wrote a terrific book called, “Screw Tape Letters.” The premise of the book is that an elder demon is giving tips and advice to a younger demon. One such advice is about what should the subject focus their attention on: the past, present, or future? The demon proceeds to say absolutely do not focus on the present, because the “enemy above” is strongest in the present. The past is more preferred, but is still not ideal because the “enemy above” has a residual presence in the past. The elder demon claims that the future is the best to focus on because some people can be manically consumed about the future that they ignore the present.

The devil wants us to focus on fantasies far removed from reality. We get caught up in imagining an ideal world, but we fail to take the steps to manifest that world into reality. We humans know what is true and good and beautiful. We can imagine it and fantasize living a life built around the alleged wonders of the world. However, we are sentenced to work and toil on this side of heaven. We must not be discouraged from doing good.

All too often we can play the comparison game which is the thief of joy. We compare our lives to quote unquote successful people. We see people smiling and laughing and assume that they have none of the stresses in our own life. Often time, everyone has struggles, but we do not see the others’ struggles when we play the comparison game. Comparing ourselves to others will almost always leave us feeling depressed and dejected as the devil intends.

Perhaps worse than comparing ourselves to others is comparing ourselves to our imaginary ideal self. The should’ve could’ve would’ve that we tell ourselves in our down moments. How we should have acted differently. How we could have taken advantage of an opportunity in the past. How we would have acted differently if we were given different information. Here’s the thing! What happened happened. Praise the Lord and Rejoice for the live given to you in that moment.

It is all too tempting to wallow in self-misery. The devil wants us to self-implode and give up. We must repent, ask for forgiveness, and rise up to higher heights of holiness. The life that we have is a miraculous experience. Only this life that we have had both been willed by ourselves and by God. No other alternate timeline exists because no other timeline has been made in cooperation between God and His creation.

Why then try to create an alternate reality? Why claim that that alternate reality is greater and more glorious then the one we live in which is REAL. Should’ve Could’ve Would’ve are a waste of time. They are specks of dust and our time would be better spent chasing wind. Vanities upon vanities to think any other life is better than the one willed by God. Stop the devil in his tracks. Pick up your cross and Move!