When I was a child I had excellent eyesight. Vision was not a problem. But as I grew older, spent hours reading, and taught music, reading glasses became necessary. Then I graduated to contact lenses. Then I had cataracts. 

The ophthalmologist said I needed surgery to replace the lens in both eyes. I was not nervous about surgery. I knew most patients did very well. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to trade in the lens God gave me for a manmade lens.

In a day and age of replacement body parts, organ transplants, and the like, you would think this did not matter. I did not think it was an issue until I was faced with the decision. So I talked to Father God.

I told Him how very much I appreciated Him. How much His love and provision and presence meant to me. And the real issue…I didn’t know if I wanted eyes that had a lens in them that He didn’t make.

The words that came into my heart were sweet, comforting, and unexpected. “Maybe you need to see things through a new lens.” So there it was…a simple but profound truth.

Ouch. Why do I ask so many questions? Why do I talk so much?

 When I thought about these words, I knew, my spiritual sight had become clouded. I had become complacent, even comfortable. In what ways have I missed the truth? Had I not seen the people before me as He sees them? Had I missed His opportunities because my vision was blurred? What had I not seen?

It can be so easy to settle into a routine. Had I stopped growing to maturity in the Lord? Was I prideful? Tired? Had the cares of life, or family responsibilities become distractions? Had my heart become hardened? This cataract surgery was about so much more than my physical vision. Father God was preparing to correct my spiritual vision as well.

Isn’t that the kindness and goodness of our Father? He can use anything to teach us. I was a little scared and a whole lot grateful to know He would replace my spiritual lens. He would clear up my blurred spiritual vision. He could give me the eyes of Jesus to see as Jesus sees. My love and compassion for others would be restored. And isn’t that what I really want? What we all really want?

My spiritual vision can be so skewed. So contaminated by my experiences and expectations. So altered by hurt and disappointment. So blurred.

Praise Father God for “calling me out”. Praise Father God for giving me new eyes to see. Physical eyes, But especially spiritual eyes.

Isn’t it amazing how He uses the circumstances of our life to teach us?

Does anyone else need a new lens?