The Serpent of Darkness

"If I ever have to work a Sunday morning, I am afraid that I will go inactive. I don't think I could make it because some Sundays it is hard enough to get up." This is what I said several months ago, knowing that even though my testimony was strong I was weak. When I received my schedule on Wednesday I was appalled to see that I had been scheduled Sunday morning. I thought that since I had been scheduled out of my availability all of my coworkers must have asked off the day, and so I calmly accepted my fate and prayed that if I did ever feel like skipping out on church without a good reason that someone would come find me.
Strangely, last night I had an interesting and vivid dream. I was walking up a steep hill and a brown-black serpent crossed my path and continued up the hill. I refused to go near it even although I usually don't mind snakes.
Today I prepared to go to work, waking early as usual in order to give a ride to someone who didn't need a ride after all, I didn't feel good, the other person opening with me was late so I had to do the usual checks, turning on lights, and cash tills. In addition, nothing was really ready in time, the floor staff was being lazy, I had to still unlock several things that my coworker didn't get to, and all this time my frustration increased, especially because I had to miss my ward's sacrament meeting. Finally to top everything, another coworker that I expected to be one of those who couldn't work, came in to watch a movie. I nearly broke down. I had to pass through exhaustion from attempting to do everything, illness from whatever 'bug' entered my system, frustration with the staff, and disappointment for being let down in many ways; I couldn't do it.
So I read. After retiring for a few moments to the office and reading from my Spanish translation of The Book of Mormon the storm calmed. Nothing really changed, the chaos reigned even still in the environment of work, but peace entered within. Why? Because Satan cannot win.
He had known of my weakness, but he didn't know about the strength God had given me to keep going even when times became tough. He found humor and pleasure in throwing bowling ball after bowling ball all throughout the day, but he does not understand well about the armor of God. He knew I was ill, that customers and coworkers are frustrating, but he understands little about giving and seeking forgiveness. In my dream the large snake overtook my path, blocked it the best he could, and remained in the way as a hindrance to a greater goal. However, even though the Great and Awful Serpent attempts to block our path and turn us away from everything that is good, this does not mean that he has to win in the end and he will not win.