“All who wish to follow Me will experience the hostility of hell and also of those who listen to the demons.” (Inner Word)
This is inevitable once we begin to follow Christ. The expression of this hostility may take different forms, but it will certainly appear. The Father has made this clear to us through His Son and through the testimony of those who followed Him.
It is important that we know this and learn how to deal with such hostility. To this end, the Father equips us with the appropriate weapons.
In Sacred Scripture, we repeatedly hear admonitions and warnings not to live under illusions on the path of following Christ. As a good Father, He draws our attention to the dangers—yet never without simultaneously encouraging and strengthening us. Moreover, God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our strength; He permits only what is necessarily part of our struggle.
These attacks are not merely external pressures. Most trials likely arise from within and seek to discourage us or wear us down. They can manifest as fruitless thoughts and negative feelings, distract us, and even—what is particularly painful—cause a lack of desire for prayer, generate resistance to religious or spiritual content, and much more.
Yet the evil one’s intentions do not succeed if we remain united with the Lord, seek Him and call upon Him, resist the evil one, and live our days in vigilance. Then we will learn that our Father uses all of this to strengthen us and gives us the opportunity to show Him our fidelity. At the same time, the forces of hell are weakened, and the Father uses our part in the struggle for His service and counts it as merit for us.
That is our Father.