Smoke and mirrors-Blinded

(Because there is no formating such as paragraphs on blogspot, I will indicate it using # signs) ####################### One of the things that made me start my blog is that I saw a desperate need to reach people who felt ‘less than’ like I did. I had met a lot of lost and broken people who felt unworthy. I have heard so many heart wrenching stories about their life experiences. Many of you in the world will never, thank God, feel the hurt, betrayal, darkness of what the world has done to so many people in the world. Even if your life wasn’t horrific, the deep insecurities, loneliness and brokenness that affect so many out there, needed to be covered with love and Truth. ################### When dark things happen to us in our young lives, we tend to process it the way others would have us do. We keep it a secret; we feel powerless, dirty, unloved, broken, unworthy, outcast…. Less than. We suffer guilt and shame for atrocities visited upon us by others. We absorb the neglect and abuse suffered at the hands of parents or siblings or family or friends as if it belonged to us. Some wear it as their identity and accept it as part of who they are with pride. Others stuff it deep down and hold onto the guilt and shame until it affects every aspect of their lives. ###################### There are a plethora of lies and deception that follow dark moments such as this. We believe the lies in our heads about what it was, how it was and who we are because of it. Somehow we feel responsible, or if not, we feel physically dirty and mentally darkened by the event(s). We use negative coping skills to survive the pain: ################ • We shrink from life. ################ • We throw ourselves into wreck-less, self-destructive behavior. ################# • We drown ourselves in mind numbing alcohol or drugs. ############### None of these behaviors are meant to make it better. I think deep down we don’t think we deserve to be ‘better.’ The evil one fills our heads with all sorts of negative beliefs and dark lies and never stops using it against us until we are lost in a fog of, what seems like, inescapable darkness. ################## It isn’t enough that we are left with gaping wounds and scars that forever remind us of our pain… each time we use one of the negative coping mechanisms mentioned above, we simply pile onto that sense of loss and darkness; the sense that we are no good. We are so focused on the past, the pain, the darkness that we cannot see the truth. And when we do this, satan wins the battle each time, but worse, we lose our souls, our true identity. We lose precious time. We lose relationships. We lose our true purpose. But that is just a battle, not the war!##################### Listen, do you really think that God created YOU with this purpose in mind? Yes. There is evil in the world. Yes, free will sucks because of what man can warp it into. Yes, sin and death bring natural issues like disease and brokenness. BUT this isn’t why we were created. YOU aren’t living in the true manner that God created you to live. ##################### 1 John 5:19: “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” ################## I picture it like this: The evil one was sent down to earth and, for the most part, wreaks havok on those in the world. He encourages sin, hate, disconnection, suicide, drug addiction…. Any kind of addiction really that keeps people from seeing their true purpose. His goal is to keep you stupid and blind to the Truth. The more deception (fog) that he creates, the harder it is for you to fight your way out. Plus, the more he can convince you to pile onto bad memories with more bad decisions, the more he can deceive you into thinking that you deserve what you get. ############### 2 Corinthians 4:4: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” ################### But you see, it is all smoke and mirrors. ##################### Ephesians 6: 10-18: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ...” ####################### But, as we reach out to God and seek comfort in His word, we can see it all for what it really is and dissect each lie to recolor it with Christ's sacrifice and love. His word will heal those hidden places. He will open your eyes to the Truth. He will guide you to your true purpose and, if you ask Him, He will rid you of the evil one. This doesn’t mean that the evil one will stop trying…. Because he won’t. It means that you will have the strength to resist him. ######################## 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” ################# James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” #################### And for those of you who think you are too far gone, unworthy or whatever you have falsely believed about yourself, NONSENSE. God didn’t send His only son to die on the cross for ALL of our sins FOREVER, just to leave you behind. It isn’t in YOUR strength to make yourself into some wonderful Christian to serve the world. If you are reading this, He likely called YOU. This means You are and can be His if you follow the steps to salvation. HE left the Holy Spirit here to guide believers to be righteous. Baby steps. Listen to the will of God and follow His guidance. ################## Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” ################# So, you see? You have been lied to. You have been living a lie. But it is simple. Go and seek Him who made the world. Go and sin no more…. Or work on it with His help. :-) ################ Much love, people. ###################