What You Don't See Coming

Lynn Cowell

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

It seemed harmless enough. A song playing on her iPod. The dinging of an incoming text. It was anything but.

The next thing I knew, my daughter was weeping in her room, a torrent of twisted emotions consuming her tender heart.

What happened?

Minutes ago, we were laughing together! Now, as her heart oozed with rejection, loneliness and self-doubt, I felt helpless to comfort her.

From the surface, hearing that specific song and receiving the text at the same time seemed like a coincidence. I've been learning, however, it isn't always chance.

In our key verse, Peter the Apostle tells us: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

Just waiting.

For the chance.

The truth is we have an enemy. And he is always looking for the chance to trip us up.

Looking, scheming, scouting, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to:

• Bring back the hurt through a familiar song.
• Remind us of a past mistake.
• See pictures on social media to rub in the rejection.

satan will hold back nothing to get at our hearts and into our minds, whatever it takes to drag us down. It's his purpose, his goal. And he knows your daughter will believe it was the boy, the friend or the crowd who made her feel that way.

As women, we can learn to stay alert so we are less likely to get caught unaware and fall into the trap of an emotional spiral. For us to be on guard, we need to daily pour in the truth that we are unconditionally loved, adored and pursued by the One, our Love, Jesus.

Then we can teach our kids how to watch for what they don't see coming. Whether we're 16 or 46, we can learn to be on guard.

If we will consistently do this, when the disappointments and hurts in life inevitably come, they'll find our heart full of perfect love and less vulnerable to rejection and offense.

But what about our daughters?

How can a girl, just years away from playing with dolls, learn to fight emotions that seem too powerful? Deal with mood swings that try to take her peace away? And avoid the daily surfacing "girl drama"?

From you. She learns from you.

After the hugs and listening, you can teach her to see what she doesn't see coming. To be on guard by being selective to the music she hears, whom she follows on social media and to whom she entrusts her heart. And be intentional to pour God's truth into her heart each and every day.

Not only will her life be more peaceful, yours will too!

Lord, by reading Your Word and spending time in prayer, help me to first learn to be on guard for the enemy's tactics to trip me up. Empower me, as I learn to share this truth with my children and those I have an opportunity to influence. In Jesus' Name, Amen.