Has it happened to you lately?
It always does.
Things don’t go your way. What you wanted to happen didn’t happen. What you prayed for didn’t come through.
Satan loves to pounce on us when we are disappointed so that he can double down on the discouragement.
Here is a solid word from the wonderful little book Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks
Satan’s Device – Working the soul to make false inferences from the cross actings of Providence. Says Satan—Do you not see how Providence crosses your prayers, and crosses your desires, your tears, your hopes, your endeavors? Surely if his love were towards you, if his soul did delight and take pleasure in you—he would not deal thus with you. (Psalm 77:7, et seq.; 31:1; 73:2, 23).
Remedy. The first remedy against this device of Satan is, solemnly to consider, that many things may be cross to our desires, which are not cross to our spiritual and eternal good. Abraham, Jacob, David, Job, Moses, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Paul, met with many things that were contrary to their desires and endeavors, that were not contrary to their good; as all know that have wisely compared their desires and endeavors and God’s actings together. Medicine and surgery often works contrary to the patients’ desires, when it does not work contrary to their good.
Remedy. Another remedy against this device of Satan is, seriously to consider, that all the strange, dark, deep, and changeable providences that believers meet with, shall further them in their way to heaven—in their journey to happiness. Divine wisdom and love will so order all things here below, that they shall work for the real, spiritual, and eternal good—of those who love him. All the rugged providences that David met with did contribute to the bringing of him to the throne; and all the rugged providences that Daniel and the ‘three children’ met with did contribute to their great advancement. So all the rugged providences that believers meet with, they shall all contribute to the lifting up of their souls above all things, below God. As the waters lifted up Noah’s ark nearer heaven—and as all the stones that were about Stephen’s ears did but knock him the closer to Christ, the corner-stone—so all the strange rugged providences that we meet with, they shall raise us nearer heaven, and knock us nearer to Christ, that precious corner-stone.