Navigating Life When You Get Blindsided

Ever been blindsided before? I’m not talking about the Sandra Bullock movie where the homeless guy becomes famous. “Blindsided” means you got hit unexpectedly by something you couldn’t see…and it’s usually not good! There are more ways to be blindsided than any of us want to admit…traffic accidents, health issues, relationship jolts, family problems, co-worker conflicts, drastic changes in work and life, emotional disappointments and financial disasters. When this happens most of us ask, “Why didn’t I see this coming?” and “Now what am I going to do?” Here are some thoughts to consider:

What Happened…Why Didn’t I See this Coming?

1. You Were Preoccupied with Lesser Things and Weren’t Paying Attention. This is usually the case with traffic accidents but it’s true for everything else. Life is filled with distractions. Most of what people call “blindsided” is just the lack of pre-planning. If you don’t set priorities, you’ll chase after the demands of the insignificant and miss the essential. But be careful, busy person, multi-tasking can be a blessing or a curse! Here’s a warning sign…You can’t multi-task people!

2. You Missed the Warning Signs…or You Just Chose to Ignore Them. In 1998 there was an insightful book written by Dr. Spencer Johnson, “Who Moved My Cheese?” I encourage you to read or re-read it. Here’s a warning sign…The obvious screams at you but you want something so bad that you ignore good judgment and counsel. Then, when your relationships fall apart…or your job disappears…or your health fails, you look bewildered and ask “What Happened?!”

3. You Came Face to Face with Deception! Okay, now I’m getting to the heartbeat of your spiritual life. I’ve never seen a more realistic portrayal of Satan than in the 1997 Al Pacino movie, “The Devil’s Advocate.” One of his zingers was, “I'm a surprise, Kevin. They don't see me coming!” Another one about free will was, “I only set the stage. You pull your own strings.” Listen, my friend, there is a real devil and his deceptions are very powerful (2 Cor. 11:13-15; 1 Peter 5:8-9). Warning sign…We develop self-defeating habits that cooperate with Satan’s agenda. He traps us in our own greed…desires…weaknesses…strengths…arrogance…poor self-esteem…over-achieving personalities…rejection…competition…gullibility…and unrealistic expectations (James 1:13-16).

So…What Can I Do After I’ve Been Blindsided? Is There any Hope for Me?

1. God is Greater than the Devil and ALL Failures! Your only hope is a loving God who forgives and restores those who call upon Him with a contrite heart and repentance. Jesus is the answer to everything! Only He can reverse evil and turn devastation into a mature destiny (Rom. 8:28).

2. Learn From it and Get Back on Course. Obviously, some recovery processes take longer than others. Do a “postmortem” on what caused your blindside event and write what you’ve learned (Prov. 24:32). Make note of your vulnerabilities and fortify them with God’s Word and prayer. Dust off your wounded ego and get back in the game. If you quit, the devil was successful!

3. Help Others to Recover From Their Failures. This is how you become victorious over a blindside tragedy…do what King David did when he failed. With repentance, his broken and contrite heart proclaimed, “I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.” (Ps. 51). This is your new assignment: Help others as God has helped you (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

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