When the bottom falls out, and you lay in a broken heap at the intersection of pain and uncertainty, you need to acknowledge your position before you can stand again. Seated and defeated may seem like an illogical way to begin a journey, but it is the best place for you to meet God.
JUST STAND BLOG POST SERIES
Welcome to Mindful Monday and our new blog post series: JUST STAND. If you are stuck at a crossroads in your life wondering how and when you will get back on your feet, you are in the right place!
It is difficult for anyone to “just stand” during a turbulent storm or after a devastating collapse. Often, the instinctual “fight or flight” response kicks in, and we find ourselves struggling in our own strength or running as fast as we can to escape the pain.
But God suggests a third option, an alternate response…something so counterintuitive…that we know we can only do it with his grace, strength, and truth. This simple command comes from Ephesians 6:10-20 and is the biblical foundation for this series.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)
If you are seeking spiritual guidance to stand steady and strong through the storms and battles of life, please join us as we learn together how to:
- POSITION ourselves to stand again after a collapse.
- PREPARE ourselves to stand firm using God’s armor.
- PRACTICE standing in God’s grace & truth.
- PERSEVERE in standing despite obstacles.
If you want to know about the genesis of this series, please feel free to read last week’s post: AFTER YOU’VE DONE ALL YOU CAN…STAND.
WHY BLIND OPTIMISM WILL NEVER HELP YOU SEE
Fumbling and tripping in the dark places of isolation, reaching out and grasping nothingness, bumping into immovable walls of reality, that is the picture of me collapsed at the crossroads of my life. When I was seated and defeated a few years ago, I had my three “go-to” responses (that had been serving me well for over forty years):
- Fight.
- Run away.
- Pretend everything is okay.
Feeling too weak to fight and too old to flee, I opted for what I call “blind optimism” instead. As a look-on-the-bright-side, glass-half-full, Romans 8:28 kind of girl, I foolishly believed that I could make my situation better, get myself back on my feet, and heal my broken soul armed with a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Maybe some of you know what I mean…
I would pray more, worry less, read my Bible, serve the needy, eat healthier, and stop whining. Sounds like a great plan, right?
Not so easy to do when you refuse to acknowledge that you are seated and defeated at the crossroads of your life.
Included in the dictionary definition of blind optimism are descriptions such as:
- unable to discern or judge
- unwilling to see; sightless
After forty years of “willing” myself to notice the bright, the good, and the positive in every situation, I had lost the ability to see things as they were. I had not used my muscles of discernment and judgment for so long they had atrophied.
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POSITION AND GAIN SIGHT
Brene Brown begins her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, by explaining:
Once you see a pattern, you can’t un-see it. Trust me, I’ve tried. But when the same truth keeps repeating itself, it’s hard to pretend that it’s just a coincidence”
The Gifts of Imperfection (page ix)
When you are lying on the ground (seated and defeated), the first step to acknowledging where you are is to open your eyes. You need to pause and take a good look around.
Trust me; this is the place everyone should plan to start: Acknowledge where you are. Accept your position of brokenness. Admit your weaknesses and failures. Allow yourself to view the barren landscape with clarity and perspective. Consider the wisdom of this ancient proverb:
At first, seeing will be uncomfortable and will take a period of adjustment. The bright light of truth can sting. The sharpness of reality feels raw and prickly. The distinctness of factual evidence exposes every flaw. But is the alternative any better? The person who embraces blind optimism is no better than a seeing man who is blind.
WHAT A BLIND MAN CAN TEACH US ABOUT SEEING
Do you remember the story of Blind Bartimaeus? He fits the description of a blind man who desperately wanted to see both literally and figuratively. Although his physical blindness prevented him from viewing Jesus, the eyes of his heart were alert, open, and ready. When he heard that Jesus was coming his way, he seized the opportunity. This is his story told in the gospel of Mark:
46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you.” 50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
Mark 10:46-52
Oh, the things we can learn from this poor, helpless, blind man who was determined to see! As a blind beggar, he knew humility and shame. He personified despair and hopelessness. Calling out to Jesus in desperation at his lowest point, Bartimaeus did not have anything more to lose.
Bartimaeus probably had major doubts about calling out to Jesus: What will people say and do? Should I go to the priests first and ask their permission? Could things get worse for me if I do this? What if Jesus refuses to help me? However, if he gave into these fears he would have stayed blind forever.
- He did not care if he made a fool of himself.
- He did not listen when people told him to be quiet.
- He did not walk but jumped up and ran when Jesus called him.
- He did not hold back in asking Jesus what he wanted.
- He did not return to his old life but instead followed Jesus.
Bartimaeus counted the costs and weighed his options. He had been blind too long and had suffered too much to not cry in desperation: “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
ARE YOU WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POSITION
Have you been seated and defeated like Blind Bartimaeus? Are you there on this Mindful Monday? Can you set aside your pride, your hopes and dreams, and your expectations to honestly acknowledge your position?
God had to bring me to a place of total physical, relational, emotional, and spiritual collapse before I was ready to open my eyes, adopt a posture of humility, and cry out to Jesus just like Bartimaeus did. Broken physically, blocked off relationally, bankrupted emotionally, and burned-out spiritually—it was only from this seated and defeated position that God could begin the process of teaching me to stand again.
If you are looking for the next steps of how to stand again after being seated and defeated, I will be sending out 3 STEPS TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POSITION AND PREPARE TO STAND AGAIN this week to all my email subscribers. It will guide you through these steps by READING, REFLECTING, and RESPONDING to what God is teaching us through his Word.
If you sign up to be an email subscriber, you will receive
- Weekly Mindful Monday blog posts.
- Free resources delivered to your email inbox (quotes, scripture verses, journaling pages, further Bible study)
- Support from me and others who are walking similar paths.
This is beautiful Carla. The more we keep our eyes on Jesus, the more He can reveal to us the realities of what we can physically see and, even more, some of the deep rooted realities beyond what we can physically see. Yet, He can absolutely heal us and use us to heal those around us.
Thank you, Brittany! I appreciate your insight and totally agree that the more we focus on Jesus, the more he give us eyes to see!