I’ve been thinking about this. I’ve been really pondering how faked out the world has many of us. It’s the enemy. He is so very deceitful and conniving. He is the master of deceit, and if we aren’t guarded, he’s right there ready to ensnare us.
He gets into our minds. There’s a trickle effect involved with that. What is lodged into our thoughts and minds seeps down into the heart, and vice versa.
What we think soon becomes what we feel. What we feel can start to override our thoughts.
Satan’s goal is to lead us astray in thought and heart and in turn, deed.
He twists everything.
The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5-
He either takes a really simple and subtle approach (a mere distraction that grows like a weed) or makes things too complicated so that we simply think we cannot focus ~ focus on the simple truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He steals! Little by little, he rips away our time and our thoughts and in turn, our loyalties can become fragmented.
We are split into multiple directions and if we aren’t careful, we can end up….paralyzed.
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3
To see the beauty of being in Christ, it is necessary to face the ugly around us just as He did when He walked among us. If we cower, hide, or be afraid of facing it ~ that’s when fear starts to cripple and control us.
You see, I think that is one of the enemy’s go-to schemes. I think he wants us to spend all of our time running away from that which we can embrace with Christ on our side and then it just continues to follow us around (the world calls it baggage).
Adam and Eve COULD HAVE talked to God about the temptation they were facing in the Garden.
Eve could have called upon the Lord and said “I am confused and feeling upset because this guy over here told me something that bothers me.”
They could have faced the fear and the ugly with God.
But that’s not where it stops. The the horrible one never relies on only one method to throw us off-balance and draw us into the abyss. He loves to entice us with fake glimmers of light and beauty to feast our eyes upon as well.
“Look at this beauty over here ~ don’t look at that ugly stuff! Let me give you the positive stuff to dive into ~ let me make you feel better!”
It’s hard, but we can recognize the fake stuff if we listen to the Holy Spirit. It’s usually the stuff that comes with a cost ~ a sacrifice of what we know to be RIGHT.
Sometimes, we are scared to open our eyes because we know somehow….we know inside that we have approached the line and we are afraid that if we open them, there is going to be a big ugly monster staring us in the face.
No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:4
But when God shows us the truth about that shiny, glittering object that the enemy is putting in front of us ~ the one that is meant as a distraction from real goodness, real truth, real love ~ we can see the ugly that makes up the core of what it really is.
AND……….He is there with us. He is there and He will help us face the monster.
We have to ask. We have to put on the armor daily. We have to WANT to see the ugly for what it is.
And then, we don’t leave it at that: we seek Him to tell us what ugly is from the disgusting one, and what ugly is simply a trial we are going through that the beautiful One wishes to make new.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil – Ephesians 6:11
We must believe that He will never forsake us, friends. We must believe that He will be with us. We must listen and see what He wants for us. What ugly does He want us to face down today, with HIM? What ugly does He want us to recognize early on and to turn and run to HIM instead?
Show us the ugly, Lord. Show us the ugly that we are to run from and give us guidance to move right beneath your Mighty wings. FAST!
Show us the ugly, Lord. Show us the ugly that is part of what you are doing in our lives ~ the stuff we are to embrace because it is part of YOUR beautiful story. It’s a testimony of your strength in our weakness.
Show us the ugly, Lord. Show us the ugly and give us your wisdom and discernment to know the difference. Help us to listen ~ to see.
Show us the difference between the evil kind of ugly and the kind that is a testimony of the beautiful work of sanctification that comes out of what You are doing in our lives.
- Even through our weakness.
- Even through our disobedience and prodigal and sinful natures.
- Through our mistakes, our challenges, our failures to see.
Show us YOUR beauty in the ugly, Lord. Help us not to close our eyes. Help us not to live in fear, but the full knowledge that You are the faithful One.
You are the Almighty One.
You are the Faithful One.
You are the truly Beautiful One.
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Eyes Wide Open 
Look for the devil you will always find him! Look for God and help, you’ll find that too:
http://thegospelofbarney.com/home/2015/01/17/first/
Very good post!! God sees and knows all about us, even the “ugly” parts and He uses those to display His glory and goodness through us – He is so amazing!! Thanks for writing!!