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Part 72: Where All Journeys Grow

Chapter 5: Temptations

V2.0 – 10/02/2025

I awoke with a start and sat up on the boulder. Everything was pitch black around me. There was a blanket of brilliantly shining stars above me covering the expanse of the night sky. I didn’t know how long I had slept. I pulled my backpack closer to my side in the darkness. It was all I owned now. I clung to it as if it was my dearest friend.

“Why are you here?” A voice whispered from the darkness.

I looked all around but saw only blackness. I ignored the question. I closed my eyes and prayed silently, “Father, protect me.”

I heard a twig snap close by and opened my eyes to look in the direction of the noise. I perceived the Dark One in the spiritual world approaching from the road. His long robe glowed dimly in the night slightly illuminating his twisted face. He stepped almost gracefully down the edge of the road and stood by the fallen tree. He placed a hand on one of its branches and looked at me.

“You could have died when this fell.” He said softly, almost singing the words. Running his hand down the branch.

I looked around for his minions but perceived none in the darkness.

“Go away.” I said and held my backpack to me tighter.

“I just want to talk for a while.” He said, then sang to me, “I’m not here to hurt you.” He paused then added, “It seems that God is doing that enough.”

“How is God hurting me?” I asked. I knew I shouldn’t engage him, but he was here. I could perceive him, see him with my spiritual eyes. I could hear him with my spiritual ears. He was very hard to ignore.

“God loves me and wants only my best.” I spoke the words aloud into the night air.

He let out a cry of mocking laughter and said, “Loves you!? Wants only your best!? Ha. He only loves Himself and only wants His best. You’re a fool! You’re deceived! Look around you! Where is your God now! You’re alone here. In the dark. You’re sleeping on a stone. Where is your God of all comfort?”

His words were flung at me like darts. I drew my faith tightly around me like a shield and replied, “This coming from the one that’s been cast down. Yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.”

He raised a crooked eyebrow at my attempt to quote scripture and then stood straight looking around mockingly. “Where are they?” He asked quickly, “Are they coming to slay me? To strike me down? I don’t see any of your precious guardian angels here coming to your rescue. Could it be that your God of all love has allowed me to be here?”

I open my spiritual senses to the supernatural world around me. I saw, as I always had, my guardian angels surrounding me shining brightly. They had their swords drawn and were poised to intervene. But they weren’t moving, only watching over me.

“I’m not alone.” I told him. He was truly the Father of Lies.

“Not alone?!” He said laughing again, “Look around you! I see no family here, no friends. I see no brothers and sisters of your faith here. You are alone. Very alone.”

I felt God with me. I felt the Holy Spirit within me. I wasn’t alone. I closed my eyes and opened them again hoping the Dark One would go away. He remained.

He took his hand and pointed it to the sky and said, “God asked you to sell everything and for what? What purpose could that possibly serve? Couldn’t you have served Him just the same with all your things? Your beautiful home was your sanctuary. It was a safe place for you to spend time with Him and He knew that. Yet He told you to sell it all. To go where? To Meribah? Where is that? What is it? You don’t even know do you? Where is this mountain? Do you even know? You don’t. He didn’t tell you did He?”

His questions pelted me like rocks. I sat still and prayed silently, “God, help me.”

The Dark One considered me where I sat. He crossed his arms over his chest and then sat down on the ground. He let out a long sigh and put his hands over his face.

He spoke from behind his hands, “I know you’re tired. I can feel that from you. God has taken you down so many roads that you don’t even know where you’re going anymore. You’re confused with who you even are anymore. Is this really His way? Is this really how you can best obey Him?”

Tears formed in my eyes, and one ran down my cheek. His words had struck at my heart, at my deepest fears. He was right and he knew it. I was tired, so very, very tired. Ever since God had allowed the Dark One to take me on that first journey I had been exhausted. I felt darkness creeping into me. It seeped into my soul taking hold of my fears. I shivered in the night air and wrapped my arms tighter around myself.

The Dark One looked up from his hands. He tilted his head at me then sang seductively, “Why not just go back? Why not just call your lawyer and get your stuff back? Surely the God of all love will still love you, won’t He? You’ll be home again. You’ll have your coffee on the porch with Him again. He could still send you out from there, couldn’t He?”

He abruptly stood to his feet and motioned wide to the world saying, “I have a plan to help you. If God won’t save you, then I will.”

With his words he vanished, plunging the roadside into darkness.

“God, help me.” I whispered again. “God, please help me.”

No answer. Silence held.

I opened my spiritual awareness and sense Jesus standing next to me. He put His hand on my shoulder but said nothing. He leaned down and whispered, “Be strong now. I am with you.”

I heard the distant sound of a vehicle’s engine. It grew louder and louder. The mechanical sound reverberated off the road and trees around me. I recognized the sound of the engine. It belonged to a very expensive car, a luxury car of some kind. I saw the bright LED headlights in the distance rapidly growing brighter until everything around me was illuminated in their beams. The car slammed on its breaks and came to a screeching halt on the road near me and the fallen tree. Smoke drifted from the tires and the engine hummed.

I heard the door open but couldn’t see who got out of the car. I heard their footsteps and then they walked into the light of the headlights.

“What are you doing way out here man?” The stranger asked me.

I stood to my feet and put my backpack over my shoulders.

I thought of what to reply, then said, “I’m on a journey.”

“A journey? Way out here in the middle of nowhere?” He asked with a laugh.

I could clearly see him now as he walked up to me. His light-skinned face was scarred and sun darkened. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. He wore a white suit with black boots that clinked as he walked. He looked rich with an earring in one ear and a gold chain around his neck. He wore a cocky grin on his face.

“Where do you live?” He asked me.

“I don’t know you.” I said simply.

“Yeah, I suppose you don’t.” He said looking me up and down, then introduced himself, “I’m Aidan Miers.”

He stuck out a hand to me as he approached where I stood. I looked around and then shook his hand and replied, “Andrew.”

“Where had the Dark One gone?” I wondered to myself.

“Well Andrew, I’m heading back into town if you want a lift. I can take you home if you want.” He offered.

“I don’t have a home.” I told him flatly.

“No home? Well, then I guess you can crash with me tonight and we can figure things out for you tomorrow if you’d like. I don’t bite. I live in a very nice house up in the mountains above the city. My place has a great view. You’ll love it.” Aidan said turning and heading back to his car. “I even have a hot tub that feels great at night.”

Nothing about this felt right.

“God, what do you want me to do?” I asked God within my spirit, “Is this Your way?”

“Remain here.” I heard God’s soft reply.

“I’m waiting on someone.” I told Aidan, “Thank you for the offer though.”

He turned and looked at me then shrugged, “Suit yourself, kid.”

I watched him walk back to his car. He opened the door then called over to me, “You sure you wanna stay out here in the dark?”

“I am.” I replied.

He nodded to me, got in his car, and drove away. I watched the headlights fade into the distance and the darkness return. I sat back down on the boulder and took a deep breath. I took off my backpack again and sat it next to me. I was tired. This journey wasn’t going to be normal or easy. I had to hold tightly to God and make sure that I listened very carefully, or I’d find myself somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be.

The Dark One appeared in front of me near the fallen tree. He shrugged at me and said, “Your loss. You could have had a warm bed and a good meal. Aiden is one of my best. He’s rich and has everything you could have ever wanted. Plus, he’s friendly and kind. Your loss.” He shrugged again and vanished into the night leaving me alone.

The silence of the night stretched out around me.

“I did think about it for a second.” I told God aloud.

“I know.” God answered me in a whisper, then said, “I have something far better for you.”

“I figured.” I said with a sigh.

I felt God wrap His arms around me and pull me close to Himself. I felt a warmth fill me. I felt held. I was so tired. I wanted food. I wanted to sleep. I was ready for this journey to be over but knew this was just the beginning.

“You’re gonna have to help me a lot.” I said with a sigh.

“I will.” I heard His reply.

We sat there in the darkness. I listened to the sounds of the night around me. The sounds of the branches of the fallen tree moving gently in the breeze. The sound of the crickets singing softly in the bushes. I watched the fireflies dancing on the far side of the road. The night was alive, and it was so beautiful. We sat there as the night deepened just enjoying the moment together.

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