Notes on Being Blind-Sided

Why Did That Happen?
I get blind-sided every once in a while. Fact is, I get blind-sided a whole lot more than seems necessary.

Getting Blind-Sided ... being caught unaware by a difficult situation or painful event you totally didn't see coming, whether an unexpected problem involving family, finances, work, health or with a relationship, has a way of leaving us feeling hurt, helpless and all alone.

Here's the Good News
There's one thing for certain I've learned out about being blind-sided: having painful unexpected stuff happen is pretty inevitable. The conversation I've been having with myself recently goes something like this ...

But It's Not What I Wanted!
I'll bet that's a first ... cause the universe's been all about wonderful ME until now.

If Only I'd Done This or Changed That ...
We like to blame ourselves, imagining if only we'd done just one little thing differently then the outcome would've been different as well. We tend to agonize, imagining and reinventing the past until we've convinced ourselves that changing the outcome was actually within our control. Real Life is a bit more complicated than simply substituting action x to arrive at outcome y, and has more hidden variables than we can either predict or manipulate.

We play the If Only Game to maintain a fantasy of control, but we're taking a vacation from reality if we grant ourselves that much privlege: indulging in If Only daydreams amounts to being selfish and egocentric, not to mention being spiritually wasteful.

But Why ME ... I'm a Christian!
Even players on God's team don't get to skip wind sprints or spring training.

God Hates Me
Not for a minute. Only the enemy hates you ... and actually enjoys seeing you falter and doubt God's will just because poor you didn't get the outcome you assigned for yourself.

But It's Not Fair! I Didn't Do Anything to Deserve What Happened!
Not that long ago unfair, humiliating stuff happened to someone who truly didn't deserve it. If your suffering seems undeserved and your life's been unappreciated, some of these accounts are pretty descriptive and may change your perspective: John 19: 1-30, Mark 15:17-37, Luke 23:25-46, Matthew 27:26-50

Before This Happened, I Thought God Would Protect Me
Then who's changed their mind ... God, or you? Unless you've got X-Ray FutureVision you couldn't possibly see what else was coming round the bend, and the potential anguish God helped you avoid.

Was It Part of God's Plan to Let This Happen?
God's purpose is called a Plan for a reason, and you're neither entitled to see nor capable of grasping His big picture.

But I Hurt So Bad Inside
Just my guess, but injured pride's probably what's been getting your attention. Pride is a sin because it inflates our egos, focuses us on self-importance by boosting our sense of entitlement, and then causes us to feel short-changed, humiliated and cheated when life doesn't go exactly as we planned. Pride's a deep, fast-moving current separating us from God's will.

So build stilts ... and walk over it.

You Just Don't Understand What I'm Going Through
Probably not, but there's someone who's told us He does: After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you; and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power is his forever and ever. 1 Peter 5:10-11

That's God's promise ... and one less thing to be worrying about.