Revolution of Love.com
The Devil’s Hiccup
By Brian
Several months ago on a Friday afternoon, I left my place of work and headed north to attend a men’s retreat. After driving for an hour or so, I got off the freeway and made my way through several stoplights, heading toward the retreat center. At the last stoplight, my car suddenly stalled. With several cars behind me, one of which started to honk his horn, I turned my car key once, then twice and praise God my car started and I made it to the retreat center safely.
Although I was disappointed, for I had taken the car to a mechanic prior to the retreat, I was initially not concerned about what happened. I was just relieved to have arrived safely. As the retreat started and I slowly began to enter more deeply into the meditations and prayers until a thought manifested itself - would the car stall again on my way home and if so would I be able to re-start it?
During the second full day of the retreat after lunch, thoughts about my car and not making it home safely captured my thoughts and imagination. As the day wore on, I began debating as to whether I should leave the retreat early Sunday morning before it ended. That way, if my car did stall on the freeway, traffic would be light and I would not be the cause of a major traffic jam.
After Mass on Saturday night, I went back to my room and spent some time reflecting upon the Gospel reading and the Catholic faith. Again, the same thoughts began to assail me about leaving the retreat early. Worry and anxiety started to cast a shadow over my heart and confusion set in. Early Sunday morning, after a fitful night sleep, I made the decision to finish the retreat and leave my drive home in the hands of God.
After Sunday Mass, which officially ended the retreat, I left the center. Just before getting onto the main freeway to head back home, I had the profound thought that the anxiety and worry I went through was the work of the enemy. As I pondered this, the name “the devil’s hiccup” came to mind to describe what I experienced over the weekend.
I don’t know where the term “devil’s hiccup” came from but I do know that it helped me understand how the devil will use some event or circumstance, even as ordinary as having car trouble, to take one’s focus off Christ and re-focus it on self. My experience at the retreat center proves this. Rather than focusing all my energy on getting closer to Christ and growing in sanctity, I thought about my car breaking down and leaving the retreat early.
I now have a greater understanding of the varying ways in which the enemy works. A good portion of the spiritual battle occurs in our thoughts, which controls our emotions and feelings. The next time I experience “the devil’s hiccup” I will be sure to arm myself with numerous “acts of faith and trust” – short prayers – to Our Lord and Lady. This will help me focus my attention on the truth, Jesus Christ and not on self which is what the enemy really wants.
God bless!