Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Samson

While so many are discussing a Jezebel spirit, and rightfully so, in that narcissism is quite widespread.  The church at Thyatira was named in the Revelation and warned about entertaining a Jezebel posing as a prophetess.  This "lover of self" in the last days is not just a secular problem fostered in humanism.  Most can draw some clear parallels to that warning in what we are seeing in some of the big religious movements of the day.

So much info out there about the Jezebel spirit and recovering from a narcissist, and basically a Delilah presence is the same, but  . . . we tend to view Samson as some sort of dumb victim of Delilah without fully understanding the spiritual truth in the relationship.  I believe it may be, because it just brings too much conviction, as we ask in our own minds, "Samson, what in the world were you thinking?"

Dealing with a spirit of Jezebel or Delilah, and they come in both genders, is of course painful, and the full recovery sometimes just doesn't happen, and may be a thorn in the flesh for the rest of our days.  We do, however; have to take responsibility for our Ahab or Samson mentality or . . . even a moment of that weakness . . . The consequences can be quite far reaching, but YaH is greater than our mistakes.  In reading the articles about narcissism, I'm seeing a real trend toward manufacturing a new victim mentality for the "strong" individuals that fell to the wiles of these manipulators.  We have to "own" the fact, that at some point in the relationship, we chose to be deceived.  Even with read flags and neon signs, we made ourselves vulnerable to someone who had other than loving, intent.  

I don't hold to the "traditional image" of Samson, as a Mr. Universe, type.  I envision him to be a scrawny guy, awkward in his masculinity, with long hair.  I fully believe his immense power and strength was inexplicable by his size and presence.  To further support my idea of his awkwardness, a well built strong man really wouldn't have a need for a prostitute . . . Since there's nothing new under the sun, it would seem a well built, handsome strong man would have quite a bevy of beauties surrounding him, yet Samson did not.

I didn't realize how much I relate to Samson, but with the opposite sex issues.  I'm the exact opposite of a petite feminine flower which has also left me awkward in my femininity and feeling like I'd have to settle . . . So strong was this thinking, I refused to ever even date a man who had not been married before, as I didn't want to be "the woman" that let him down and ruined his life.  I've since changed that view, but it was far too late and I just had too many years on me, by that time.  It was the grace of G-d that caused me to change that perspective, but I still struggled with my self-image, which blinded my discernment.  And yet, I judged Samson!  How foolish, I was.

It was so easy to read the account of Samson, and judge him, as in: "Samson, what in the world were you thinking?"  Everything you told her, she did to you?  Why would you trust her with your weakness?"  And then, I did the same thing . . . I even spent a couple of years, blindly going in a circle, unable to see . . . or unwilling to look at the reality of what I had done.  Oh, I could have just kept on blaming the one who deceived me, but that wouldn't have changed my heart or my circumstances.  As for further comparison to Samson's later circumstances, it could be the very captivity we find ourselves in, is at least preventing us from making the same mistake, again!

I can't say that certain things didn't cross Samson's mind after he wrongly trusted Delilah and found himself blindly going in circles, but we do know, he seized the moment of opportunity when it became presented.  Too much time is spent on regrets, past hurts, and being wronged . . . That is not to say people haven't suffered, but focusing on the past doesn't change what happened and it can cause us to miss our present opportunity.

Samson, was still blind and held captive, even being made a mockery when he destroyed the temple of the Philistines.
We don't have to recover according to worldly standards or even religious teaching, to be used of YaH; we just have to let Him use us!

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