From Deception and Handicap, great discoveries can be made
Blind and searching, I bumped my head. But the more I rubbed my head,
the more I wondered why this happened. I can't help the fact that I'm blind.
I cant help it that my curiosity wants to know. So why did I deserve to bump
my head because of my curiosity? Why? Why did my head have to wonder?
And why did I have to rub it so? Did I bump it merely because I am blind?
Or did I bump it because I was searching? If I was not blind, would I be
searching? And if I did not search so much, wouold I still be blind?
Furthermore, if I had not bumped my head would I have ever stopped
searching to take this moment to sit here and wonder? Because, while I
sit and wonder, I momentarily stop searching. Because I am not searching,
my blindness is not inhibiting me. And because I sit here rubbing, I cannot
search. Yet sitting here rubbing and wondering, I find that maybe I do not
need to search all the time- I can make great discoveries just sitting still,
here, where I am. I realize that blindness is not a handicap for the action
of rubbing. I also realize that I am wearing a blindfold.
So maybe my handicap [blindness] was not a handicap at all.
Maybe my injury was not because "God hates me and only picks on me
because I am handicapped."
Maybe my injury had a purpose after all
Maybe everything happens for a reason. If I had not been blind, I would have never bumped my head on something right in front of me. If I had not been blind, I would not have been searching. If I had not been blind, I might not have ever stopped to rub and wonder [because I would not bump my head on something I can plainly see] so I might have never discovered that which I now see was the whole point: being blind and searching I bumped my head so that I had to stop searching in order to stop being blind; I had to stop searching in order to rub my head, while I rubbed my mind began to wonder and that was when I discovered that I am NOT in fact blind- but that I CAN see.
I can see a lot, in fact. Looking around, I see that there are other people [who think they are] blind and searching. I see them bumping their heads and continuing in their search- hurting but not rubbing. They never stop to rub and wonder,. They never see beyond thier "handicap." I see that they cannot see where they are going- because they are wearing a blindfold. And I can now see past what I used to be able to see: I am not blind.
But I am also no longer searching. I am no longer rubbing or wondering. My blindfold is off and I can see what an idiot I used to be for thinking that I ought to be pitied because I was "blind and searching." I was never blind and I never should have been searching, because the whole thing was a deception. I had been convinced that I was at a disadvantage because I was "blind" and my curiosity took it upon myself to search out a cure for my blindness.
When I bumped my head, I was angry. Angry at my handicap. Angry at whatever bumped into me. Angry at "God" for letting me bump into something and so injure myself when he supposedly loved me. Angry at God for wasting my time- time that I could be searching for a cure to my blindness- that I instead had to use to stop and rub my bruised head. By stopping, I rubbed and began to wonder. And it was then that I found my blindfold. The blindfold that not everyone realizes they are wearing- because we are all deceived. Every last one of us.
Yet, if God is to blame for me bumping my head, shouldn't he also received the credit and the thanks for me discovering my blindfold? And with my blindfold off, I can see God better* for who he is- he is no longer just something I "hear about:" I can see that he is good. That he is holy. That he is love. That he wants to remove my blindfold- and everyone else's too. Because He did not put them on us. (*better, but not completely for all that he is)
Now that my blindfold is off, I can see God better for who he is, but I can also see Satan [whose name means "the deceiver"] for who he is too. Satan is to blame for the blindfolds because he delights in our pain and to watch us handicapped- and searching. Yes, God is to blame for putting those obstacles in our lives that we run into (more on that in a minute)- but Satan is to blame for the blindfolds. Satan wants to keep us in the frustration of the dark but God wants to open our eyes. Satan convinced us, when we were very young, that we are made blind- inevitably blind- and that no one can reverse it. That we were completely alone and that we just had to "deal." We are left to wonder and search alone. Alone in our blindness, alone to wonder, alone on a great quest. All the while, God was shaking his head- Satan was wrong.
But we couldn't see God shake his head, because we were still blind. God was not powerless to stop us- oh no. He allowed us to be blindfolded- so that our sight would mean all the more to us once we rediscover it. The only people who truly appreciate their sight are those who have lost it at one point or another or those that have less-than-perfect-vision. God knows how valuable our sight is- that is why he put those "obstacles" in our way for us to bump into. That's why He sent Jesus- the cornerstone that the Pharisees tripped over, the "foolishness" that shames the wise- all run into it, in one way or another, multiple times. He is there for us to blindly search for- before we even know what it is we are searching for. He is there for us to bump our heads into. To make us stop searching to rub and wonder.
And he is there so that after we blindly search, bump, rub & wonder we may discover: that we are not in fact blind; there is something wonderful and attainable out there to be found; that all bumps-on-your-head are not curses, but sometimes blessings in disguise because they force you to stop searching in order to rub and wonder; and while you rub and wonder you can discover the blindfold. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. You bump your head into him because he is in the WAY; you discover the TRUTH about your search and your handicap because you bump into him; and you LIFE is changed forever, once you can see.
**It's a stretch, I know. There are several quirks to this scenario but it is meant to answer one question- not be an answer to all questions. This is all just my thoughts typed out. Take it with a grain of salt, maybe it wasn't meant for you. But if anything hits home... tell me about it.
the more I wondered why this happened. I can't help the fact that I'm blind.
I cant help it that my curiosity wants to know. So why did I deserve to bump
my head because of my curiosity? Why? Why did my head have to wonder?
And why did I have to rub it so? Did I bump it merely because I am blind?
Or did I bump it because I was searching? If I was not blind, would I be
searching? And if I did not search so much, wouold I still be blind?
Furthermore, if I had not bumped my head would I have ever stopped
searching to take this moment to sit here and wonder? Because, while I
sit and wonder, I momentarily stop searching. Because I am not searching,
my blindness is not inhibiting me. And because I sit here rubbing, I cannot
search. Yet sitting here rubbing and wondering, I find that maybe I do not
need to search all the time- I can make great discoveries just sitting still,
here, where I am. I realize that blindness is not a handicap for the action
of rubbing. I also realize that I am wearing a blindfold.
So maybe my handicap [blindness] was not a handicap at all.
Maybe my injury was not because "God hates me and only picks on me
because I am handicapped."
Maybe my injury had a purpose after all
Maybe everything happens for a reason. If I had not been blind, I would have never bumped my head on something right in front of me. If I had not been blind, I would not have been searching. If I had not been blind, I might not have ever stopped to rub and wonder [because I would not bump my head on something I can plainly see] so I might have never discovered that which I now see was the whole point: being blind and searching I bumped my head so that I had to stop searching in order to stop being blind; I had to stop searching in order to rub my head, while I rubbed my mind began to wonder and that was when I discovered that I am NOT in fact blind- but that I CAN see.
I can see a lot, in fact. Looking around, I see that there are other people [who think they are] blind and searching. I see them bumping their heads and continuing in their search- hurting but not rubbing. They never stop to rub and wonder,. They never see beyond thier "handicap." I see that they cannot see where they are going- because they are wearing a blindfold. And I can now see past what I used to be able to see: I am not blind.
But I am also no longer searching. I am no longer rubbing or wondering. My blindfold is off and I can see what an idiot I used to be for thinking that I ought to be pitied because I was "blind and searching." I was never blind and I never should have been searching, because the whole thing was a deception. I had been convinced that I was at a disadvantage because I was "blind" and my curiosity took it upon myself to search out a cure for my blindness.
When I bumped my head, I was angry. Angry at my handicap. Angry at whatever bumped into me. Angry at "God" for letting me bump into something and so injure myself when he supposedly loved me. Angry at God for wasting my time- time that I could be searching for a cure to my blindness- that I instead had to use to stop and rub my bruised head. By stopping, I rubbed and began to wonder. And it was then that I found my blindfold. The blindfold that not everyone realizes they are wearing- because we are all deceived. Every last one of us.
Yet, if God is to blame for me bumping my head, shouldn't he also received the credit and the thanks for me discovering my blindfold? And with my blindfold off, I can see God better* for who he is- he is no longer just something I "hear about:" I can see that he is good. That he is holy. That he is love. That he wants to remove my blindfold- and everyone else's too. Because He did not put them on us. (*better, but not completely for all that he is)
Now that my blindfold is off, I can see God better for who he is, but I can also see Satan [whose name means "the deceiver"] for who he is too. Satan is to blame for the blindfolds because he delights in our pain and to watch us handicapped- and searching. Yes, God is to blame for putting those obstacles in our lives that we run into (more on that in a minute)- but Satan is to blame for the blindfolds. Satan wants to keep us in the frustration of the dark but God wants to open our eyes. Satan convinced us, when we were very young, that we are made blind- inevitably blind- and that no one can reverse it. That we were completely alone and that we just had to "deal." We are left to wonder and search alone. Alone in our blindness, alone to wonder, alone on a great quest. All the while, God was shaking his head- Satan was wrong.
But we couldn't see God shake his head, because we were still blind. God was not powerless to stop us- oh no. He allowed us to be blindfolded- so that our sight would mean all the more to us once we rediscover it. The only people who truly appreciate their sight are those who have lost it at one point or another or those that have less-than-perfect-vision. God knows how valuable our sight is- that is why he put those "obstacles" in our way for us to bump into. That's why He sent Jesus- the cornerstone that the Pharisees tripped over, the "foolishness" that shames the wise- all run into it, in one way or another, multiple times. He is there for us to blindly search for- before we even know what it is we are searching for. He is there for us to bump our heads into. To make us stop searching to rub and wonder.
And he is there so that after we blindly search, bump, rub & wonder we may discover: that we are not in fact blind; there is something wonderful and attainable out there to be found; that all bumps-on-your-head are not curses, but sometimes blessings in disguise because they force you to stop searching in order to rub and wonder; and while you rub and wonder you can discover the blindfold. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. You bump your head into him because he is in the WAY; you discover the TRUTH about your search and your handicap because you bump into him; and you LIFE is changed forever, once you can see.
**It's a stretch, I know. There are several quirks to this scenario but it is meant to answer one question- not be an answer to all questions. This is all just my thoughts typed out. Take it with a grain of salt, maybe it wasn't meant for you. But if anything hits home... tell me about it.