The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ. . . .

— 2 Corinthians 4:4

In this passage Paul speaks of people’s minds being blinded by “the god of this age.” This is a reference to Satan, the devil, who is still very active in our world today.Has the god of this age, the devil, blinded you? I think an honest answer would be that although we can see the gift of the gospel, we can certainly be blinded by the devil’s distractions and attractions today.For example, how about constant and malicious online stories about political opponents?How about porn? Looking at it may make you feel virile and powerful—for a short time. But it is not reality, and it is not God’s will for our sexuality.How about scrolling through your favorite social media hour after hour? Too often we see only one side of the story in increasingly demeaning ways.How about false religion like the prosperity gospel, claiming God will make you wealthy if you just follow its teaching?How about “action movies,” in which people are killed or tortured in gruesome ways for entertainment?The god of this age is present in so many ways today, making all of these things seem normal and desirable. Most of these influences, and more, are also just updated versions of what people faced in Paul’s day.Give your mind a break. Let the true gospel enlighten you.

Dear God, so many influences today are used by the devil to lead us astray. Help us to reject the evil they present as if it were normal. In Jesus’ name, Amen.