Seeing Life in Full Clarity

Before June this year (2023), I had no idea that the world was a big blur.

At the beginning of June, I went to the doctor for a regular checkup. While I was there, the doctor checked my vision. It was a struggle for me to read most of the letters, even the averaged-sized ones.

The doctor asked me, “Do you wear glasses or contacts?”

“No, I don’t.” I answered.

“Well,” she replied, “I recommend getting your eyes checked by an optometrist.”

So, I went home that day and set up an appointment for an eye exam the following morning.

That next day I went in for my eye appointment—the kindest and nicest lady helped me out through the whole process—and sure enough, I needed glasses. Far away the world was blurry, and my eyes, it turns out, were working against each other.

I got my glasses later that day—it’s crazy how fast I got them!—and wow! I was overjoyed and in disbelief the moment I put my new glasses on! The day before I couldn’t read most of the letters on the vision test even if I squinted as as hard as I could; but with my new glasses, they, and everything else, was crystal clear!

As I continued on with my day (and for the next several days), I kept taking my glasses off and putting them back on to see the difference. I couldn’t believe how bad my vision was before and I didn’t even know it! I kept on thinking, “I was blind, but now I see!”

This whole experience made me realize a truth about encountering Jesus…

Before we choose Jesus, we are living in darkness. The truth is blurred and distorted. Yet, we don’t realize how blurry or distorted it is because we are living in darkness and we don’t have the right glasses on. The sinful and broken nature of the world has distorted our vision—so much so that we often cannot distinguish the lies from the truth.

Yet, when we encounter Jesus Christ, our Creator and Savior, we begin to see the world through a new lens and a whole new light. We see the world through His eyes because He gives us the glasses to see things the way that He sees things.

When we encounter and choose Jesus, our Lord, we realize how broken our lives are without Him. We begin to see all the ways that we sin—the ways that we dishonor and displease the Lord.

When you choose to follow Jesus and pursue a life that is pleasing and glorifying to Him, you begin to see how certain aspects of your lifestyle are opposite of His design for you.

It’s like you are seeing for the first time.

It’s like putting on a new pair of glasses and realizing that the world is more beautiful and more crystal clear than you ever could’ve imagined.

When you choose Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and dwell inside of you, your life will begin to look different because He has brought you out of darkness into His marvelous light. You once were blind, but now you see.

There was a man in the Bible who experienced this miracle in both a literal and spiritual sense. His name was Saul, or Paul, and he became one of the greatest Christian missionaries to live.

Saul was a devout Jew and a fierce opponent of the Way—Christianity. He believed in God—the God his forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—but he didn't believe that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. So, in his zeal for the God of his forefathers and for Judaism, Saul sought down followers of the Way—Christians—to imprison them and put them to death.

While he was on his way to a city called Damascus to arrest more Christians, Saul had a surprise visit from Jesus.

Now as [Saul] went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.Acts 9:3-9 (ESV)

Saul was already spiritually blinded—the truth was distorted in his mind—so Jesus physically blinded him to reveal to Saul the truth.

While Saul was in Damascus, God sent a Christian man named Ananias to help Saul. Through Ananias, God gave Saul back his sight and revealed to him the truth that Jesus truly was the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Saul once was blind, but now he could see—both physically and spiritually.

Jesus came to this world to give everyone sight—to bring all who would follow Him out of the darkness. He did the same thing for the Saul, or Paul, and He did the same thing for you and me.

Can you say that once you were blind but now you see?

No matter how you answer that question, today I want you to pray asking Jesus to give you glasses that allow you to see His truth—the Truth. Ask Him to give you sight, to help you believe that He is the Creator, the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

I pray that Jesus will give you the eyes to see the world more clearly than you ever have before.

I pray that you can have the strength in and through Jesus to turn from your messy, broken, and shameful past.

I pray that you have the humility to surrender it all to Him each and every day.

God’s grace is sufficient for you!

If you have chosen to follow Jesus and have allowed the Holy Spirit to work and dwell within you then this is true about you: You once were blind…BUT NOW YOU CAN SEE!