The initial changes in vision that occurred when I
received that first pair of glasses were dramatic. The changes that occurred in my life when I
first entered a relationship with God through Jesus Christ appeared more
subtle. Things began to change piece by
piece, but there was an undeniable underlying sense that it was right. It was
a dramatic, internal change.
What are glasses but corrective lenses? Correction
makes up the difference between what we perceive and what is actually true. In natural vision, this is bringing everything
to 20/20, the standard for accurate sight.
In the spiritual realm, it is aligning our vision with God’s perfect
vision. It is seeing the word as it
truly is, without the filters of fear and doubt that so often cloud our lives.
When I received that first pair of glasses, I had a
choice to make. Which vision was really
accurate? That which I had known, or that which I was now experiencing? Of course, it was the new vision with the
lenses. There would be no reason for the eye doctor to deceive me with lenses
that would hinder my sight. This was the vision a driver’s license were based
on. This was truly clear. I readily accepted this, because nothing else
made sense.
Why then, when we are shown truth in the word, do we
doubt it and base our judgments on prior experience? Do we think God has
anything less than true, accurate vision?
He has given us the Bible to show us a clear path. “God says, “For I know
the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good
and not for disaster, to give you a
future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT) Yet we can often get discouraged and wonder
if God really cares about us. So which
is true, the Word of God or our doubts? Then Apostle Paul understood trusting God for
provision. “In any and every circumstance, I have
learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens
me.” (Philippians 4:12-13 ESV) Do
the words “I can’t take this anymore,” ever enter your mind? So, again, which is true, the Word of
God or our doubts?
I can go on with
examples of promises from the Word. But
the true question is why we ever take the glasses off. Why do we choose to look at circumstances
rather than the Word?
We
can often be resistant to change. We say
we want to be more like Jesus. But then
we become resistant to the changes God initiates. This can be because we do not want to admit we were wrong; even
just a little bit. Or it can be that we
truly did not see that change was needed. Nonetheless, we have this
promise of being molded into the image of Christ. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding
the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV) This
transformation will come about by spending time in the Word regularly.
Another
issue can be a desire to make our own choices.
The will of God is not always safe or comfortable, but it is always
right. The Scriptures will guide us in
that will. “For
this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the
ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your
freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter
2:15-16 ESV) Living as a servant is so
contrary to the world view of ‘get all you can get.’ We don’t always want to choose His plan as
Paul did concerning a visit to Rome. “asking
that somehow by God's will I
may now at last succeed in coming to you.” (Romans 1:10 ESV) During those times that Paul was not
permitted to go to Rome, he did some pretty amazing things. We may have a fear of stepping out of
our comfort zone. It is safe where we are.
But studying the Word and following what we see, the will of God will soon
become clear.
At the end of the day, we need to put the glasses of
the Word on. We need to trust what we see as real and follow it with a heart
full of trust in the Lord. We will see
amazing things we have missed before.
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