I’ve been reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, and it’s been both eye-opening and sobering. The book imagines a senior devil, Uncle Screwtape, writing to his younger apprentice, Wormwood, teaching him how to undermine a Christian’s faith. The brilliance of Lewis’s writing lies in how he uncovers the subtle, spiritual tactics the Adversary uses to discourage, distract, and divide God’s people. 

In one particular letter (Letter III), Screwtape writes: 

“Build up between you in that house a good settled habit of mutual annoyance: daily pinpricks.” (Lewis, p. 25) 

That phrase—daily pinpricks—jumped off the page. These are the small irritations, minor frustrations, and repeated annoyances that can slowly eat away at our relationships, our witness, and even our walk with Christ. 

Screwtape suggests five subtle but destructive strategies: 

• Distract the believer with lofty religious duties so he or she ignores the basics of love, kindness, and humility. 

• Twist their prayers so they [the prayers] become judgmental, not grace-filled. 

• Breed friction and irritation in relationships until patience wears thin. 

• Stoke ego and pride so that reconciliation feels like defeat. 

• Awaken jealousy, like the elder brother in the story of the prodigal son, who resented grace being extended to another. 

Lewis’s warning is clear: the enemy often doesn’t attack us in grand ways. Instead, he uses pinpricks—tiny wounds that build into deep divides. They show up in a curt tone of voice, an unspoken grudge, a dismissive glance, or a refusal to apologize. (Remember how the Grand Canyon was formed from a small stream? – Erosion.) 

So how do we guard against them? 

First, we must be spiritually aware. These pinpricks aren’t always random—they can be part of a strategy to discourage us and divide us. As believers, we are called to live with self-awareness, to notice when we’re irritated, judgmental, or self-righteous, and to surrender those attitudes to Christ (2 Cor. 13:5). 

Second, we must put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word—these are our defenses. They help us resist the enemy’s small jabs and keep our focus on what truly matters. 

Third, we must consider the pinpricks in the life of the church. What might they look like? Complaining. Gossip. Pride. Turf battles. Apathy. Silos. Financial stress. Misunderstandings left unspoken. None of these may seem large on their own, but together they can lead to spiritual drift and fractured fellowship. 

Let’s not give the enemy a foothold—not even a pinprick. 

Let’s commit to grace over grudge, unity over ego, and love over irritation. May we be a church that walks humbly, forgives quickly, prays earnestly, and lives faithfully. 

In Christ,