Spiritual Nearsightedness (March 30, 2023)

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

Growing up and for much of my adult life, my eyesight has been impaired by a condition called myopia, or nearsightedness, in which a person has difficulty seeing objects clearly at a distance. Although I still wear corrective lenses to remedy the condition, thankfully, my visual nearsightedness has improved over the years according to my optometrist.

Just as 30-40% of Americans must deal with this physical condition of myopia, many of us, including Christians, suffer from spiritual nearsightedness. From time to time, especially when confronted with hardships and trials, we tend to shift our focus from Almighty God where it should be to the various worldly concerns that distract us and cloud our spiritual vision.

The peace and calm of our lives are bound to be disrupted by raging storms that test our faith. During these stressful times, we are prone to be consumed with trying to fix pressing personal problems ourselves, neglecting to call upon the name of the sovereign God who has promised to guide us through even the most difficult adversity and work all things to our ultimate good.

When life turns sour and our spiritual vision is diminished by worry, fear, and doubt, we must exercise our faith and shift our attention from a worldly to an eternal perspective. Looking beyond our troublesome circumstances, we must focus on Jesus whose guiding light clears our spiritual vision and whose soul-saving gospel gives believers victory over the world and everlasting life.

As the Apostle Paul prayed, let’s ask “…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” (Colossians 1:17-18).