​But God. He helped me RECOGNIZE…

and quite frankly I was blindsided by His perspective.

 

Blindsided by the calling that was waiting in the battle.

Blindsided by how much growth came from the pain.

Blindsided by the peace in the midst of so much confusion.

Blindsided by the empathy and prayer of my church society.

Blindsided by unconditional love in a conditional world.

Blindsided by a mustard seed of hope that brought me back to life.

 

Although I felt like some of these series of unfortunate events would be my undoing—each one worse than the last and each one testing my patience, faith, and sanity—I was truly being transformed. As dramatic as it sounds (Don’t worry. God did humble me.) parts of me felt like a modern-day Job. A good friend reminded me that I am not a victim or an orphan. Another friend reminded me that I am a weapon of the Kingdom. It was time for me to simply grow up, step into Truth, and stop being blindsided by the things my flesh and emotions were feeling, how they were taking a toll on me. No more being blindsided because 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) says: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

 

I decided to put God in charge of my blind spots. I was tired of being devoured by the devil. Any blind spot of mine he could find, he was targeting and attacking physically, mentally, and spiritually.

 

The devil has a personalized plan to kill, steal, and destroy us in each aspect. God gave me the ability to recognize his tactic and tricks. Now, I can calmly recognize and attack and equip accordingly.

 

What if I told you that you can’t have the breakthrough without the breakdown? Would you stick it out? Everyone wants a foreshadowing of their future or the “right choices” or a SIGN so that they aren’t BLINDSIDED. But what if He told you that not everyone you love comes with you as you grow on this journey? What if He told you that the pain you would feel would take your breath away and bring you to your knees? What if He told you that you would battle suicidal thoughts? What if He told you that it would last 10 years? What about 2 years? Could you make it? Would it make it bearable if you weren’t… blindsided? Would the pain of losing people be easier if you knew it was coming or if you knew all those “what ifs” beforehand?

 

We all know the reality of those answers are less than satisfying, but nonetheless true. What we can do is lean on each other and, through His wisdom, share experiences needed for us all to get through.

 

1 Peter 5:9 NIV says, “RESIST him, standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers through the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.”

 

Stand firm, because it is not how hard you get blindsided… It’s about showing the devil that no low blow, sneak shot, nor any of the sort can ever catch my God, my Protector and Redeemer, off guard. God uses every blindside as a lesson, and someone out there is waiting for you to realize it so that you can help them recognize their blind spot. There is peace and comfort in being relatable to another walking hard roads. The devil wants us to feel like we are alone, but Proverbs 29:7 (MSG) reads, “… a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.”

 

I pray that you can be a child of God who recognizes attacks in the spirit world, one that can recognize when your flesh is rising, not blindsided by emotion. And moreover, we can all start passing our tests together. You need to get it, for your peace, your family, and your future.