Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

I Peter 5:8 NKJV

I want to give some practical insight as to why bad things seem to happen during this season – ember months, so that we can be guided and avoid unnecessary heartaches.

First on the list is fear. Fear opens the door for Satan to operate. Fear makes people susceptible to mistakes, error in judgment and hasty decision. Fear beclouds one from seeing objectively, fear attracts its object. Job said, “What I fear the most has come upon me.”

Another reason is wrong expectations and societal pressure. You must go to the village, you must kill cow, buy particular kinds of clothes, drive your new car to the village or must have acquired such and such by December and lots of other things society expects of us. There is a general mindset about this season that puts pressure on people, thereby constraining them to put their hands into all kinds of things. 

For example, stealing, cheating, scamming, and in some extreme cases kidnapping and killing. Pressure to make quick money will make some to fall victim of another group who also wants to make fast and easy money; drivers attempting to make more trips than usual thereby engaging in reckless driving with neck-breaking speed in order to make more money; fake prophets and pastors taking advantage of people’s inordinate desires and needs, and scamming them of their valuables etc.

All these combined are responsible for lots of the problems experienced during this time, not that the months themselves are bad. There are no bad months, there are only bad practices.

The pressure is starting to build up especially in urban centers and gets to the peak around November – December. About a week ago we discussed how to not be a victim of fraudulent criminals in the devotional titled ‘And Her Phone Rang...’ And those tips are still relevant a week later. Put them to use.

The year will end great for us in Jesus name.

Recommended text for further reading:

2 Thessalonians 3:2; Psalms 91.