Improve Your Spiritual Vision
“Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” (Matt. 8:25 NIV)
When I was a little girl, about second grade or so, I really wanted glasses. I thought they were cool. My mom wore glasses, so I wanted to wear them, too. When they gave the yearly eye exam at school, I may have intentionally identified a few letters incorrectly when I had to read the chart. I really wanted glasses.
Sure enough, they sent me home with a piece of paper saying I needed to have a proper eye exam. I don’t remember much about what followed, but I do remember the red Snoopy glasses I picked out. I loved them and thought they were the coolest. However, like all new things, they soon weren’t all that exciting, and because I didn’t really need them, and they didn’t help me to see more clearly, I stopped wearing them.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago when my husband and I decided to have eye exams (after not having them for many, many years). Oh, how things change. I knew my eyesight was not what it used to be, but I did my very best not to get any letters wrong. I didn’t want to have to wear glasses. However, I walked out of the office with not one but two prescriptions in my hand. The doctor gave me one for reading glasses, but then he gave me another for progressive lenses. He said I was on the brink of needing them.
I resisted the notion of needing progressive lenses and just filled my reading glasses prescription. Again, though, what started out as a good intention slowly faded away. I could still read, maybe not as clearly with my glasses, but good enough.
Over the past year, I could tell my distance sight was gradually slipping. While sitting at the dinner table, I could no longer read the time on the clock on the stove. And when driving at night, it was challenging for me to read road signs.
So I did what responsible adults do and dragged myself back to the optometrist.
Sure enough, I was given only one prescription. Progressive lenses.
I picked out my frames and ordered my glasses. There is no Snoopy or even a popular brand name on the side, just plain glasses with progressive lenses.
When my glasses arrived, and I put them on, I was amazed at the clarity with which I could see and read. It was a significant improvement. While there was an adjustment period to getting used to wearing glasses, I absolutely can see more clearly when I do.
When adjusting to progressive lenses, you need to learn where to look out of them. For example, when I am reading, I can no longer just let my eyes go side-to-side. I need to move my head a little. When I look out the side of my glasses, the letters are blurry. But after my eyes became accustomed to how to work when wearing the glasses, I no longer have the blurriness.
And my distance sight! My word, I’m scared now to drive without my glasses—that’s how significant the difference was. After my husband and I talked about how we could both see more clearly with our new glasses, he started laughing as he recalled a bit from one of our favorite comedians. He pulled up the Brian Regan skit on YouTube, and we both laughed hysterically. One of the first lines was spot on:
“How can instantly improving vision, not be at the top of your to-do list?”
How true! How can instantly improving our vision not be a priority in our lives? And even more important than our physical vision is our spiritual vision. In Ephesians, we read, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Eph 1:17-19a)
The footnote from my NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible says, “1:18 eyes of your heart may be enlightened. Writers often used vision figuratively for insight. . . . Jewish people sometimes prayed for God to enlighten their eyes to help them understand God’s Word.”
When we talk about our spiritual vision, we are referring to insight and understanding of God’s Word. As important as our physical vision is to be able to do things effectively, think about how important our spiritual vision is. Spending time in God’s Word is vital. We need to continually pray for God to enlighten our eyes.
Are you doing what you need to do to have better spiritual vision? Is improving your spiritual vision at the top of your to-do list?
Dear heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. Lord, I pray that you would open the eyes of my heart and help me to see more clearly and to understand more fully your Word. Lord, I don’t want to walk around blind to your ways and your works. I want to constantly improve my spiritual vision so I can continue to grow closer to you and know you better. Lord, help me and use me to be a light to help others to see more clearly, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture for Reflection
“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!” (1 Cor. 13:12 MSG)
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Ps. 34:8 NIV)
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Ps. 119:18 NIV)
Reach for More
What can you do today to improve your spiritual vision? Ask God to open your eyes to understand his Word better, and then spend some time reading and meditating on it. I am praying God will help you to see more clearly.
is living the full life with her husband, Jeff, four kids, and a dog in Metro Detroit. Heather enjoys reading, writing, coffee-ing, and serving in youth ministry. She was born a Jersey girl and feels most at home on a beach. She is the host of the monthly link-up, Share Four Somethings. You can join Heather on the journey to living the full life at www.heathergerwing.com.
Photograph © Alex McCarthy, used with permission
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