Blindsided

2 Feb

“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”  ~ Mike Tyson

We all have plans, do we not?  We have plans and contingency plans and contingency plans for our contingency plans.  We look at everything that we have planned and at all of our backups and we say to ourselves, “No problem.  I got this covered.”  And then.

And then something comes along to poke a hole in our sail, to punch us in the gut, to deal us a blow.  It might be small or it might be big.  However, large or small, something unexpected and unplanned can often throw us for a loop and make us wonder what happened.

Tyson’s image is perfect for our lives.  We’ve all got plans.  But, what do we do when we get punched in the face?  We have to be ready for that and to continue on.  However, you know what they say:  once burned, twice shy.  We might want to continue but we become hyper-cautious and that often keeps us behind.

We get thrown for loops in our physical lives — sudden illness, a progressive disease, the injury or death of a loved one, et cetera — and we get thrown for a loop in our spiritual lives — dryness in prayer, a major fall that leads us to sin, and the like.

We can’t stay down.  That is the worst thing that can happen to us.  Instead, we have to examine our choices and possibilities, ask God for help, and get back on our feet ready to try again.  Don’t worry about being knocked off your feet.  Just make every effort to get up again.

FAITH ACTION:  If life deals you any blows today, ask God for the grace to continue and to face what comes your way.