Spiritual Eyes
How much do you rely on what you can actually see?
Verse of the Day
“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
Today’s Devotional
Wow! I LOVE this verse. I have never actually seen Jesus Christ. But I believe that He is God, that He lived on this earth and that He was God’s love in human skin.
But having said that, trusting God does not always fill me with inexpressible joy. It’s scary. I have a long enough history of trusting God that I know He will work things out, but I also know that his plans typically don’t look the way I would have imagined.
Our brains tend to rely on what our eyes can see. I was driving early this morning while it was dark and raining. In addition, there were cars coming toward me and their headlights were distracting. So even though I was on a very familiar road, my eyes were having trouble seeing where I was supposed to be. Have you ever thought about how heavily we rely on what we can physically experience? Things we can see, hear, touch, taste and smell…those things are easy to accept and trust.
But then there is God. I cannot see, hear, touch, taste or smell God. In order to experience God and have a relationship with him, I have to rely on something other than my physical senses. I can use my eyes to read the Word, but I have to decide if it is true and worth putting into practice. I can hear a beautiful song of praise, but I have to decide if I will allow my heart to join in and praise God.
So it seems that my relationship with God centers in my mind and heart first, before my actions are affected. Given what I think and feel, do I love a God that I cannot see? Given the fact that most of my prayers are said inside my own head, do I trust that I am heard and that God is working?
At some point in our spiritual journey, I believe God gives us spiritual eyes. Even though I cannot actually see God, I can see when someone acts in a loving way toward me. Then my spiritual eyes allow me to make a connection. And I feel God’s love for me expressed through the actions of another. Just like I cannot actually see the wind, I can see and feel the effects of the wind.
The more I study about God and spend time with God, the more I realize how much He wants to be a part of my life. Every thought is to be captured and brought to Him. Every concern is to be expressed to Him, inviting Him to participate. Every human I encounter is made in His image and should be treated accordingly. In fact, I read recently that “our gratitude to Jesus is, for the most part, our unsung service to those around us.” And, “Each encounter with a brother or sister is a mysterious encounter with Jesus Himself.”
I can’t see God, but I love him. I express that love for my unseen God by loving his people. I trust God by inviting Him into my life, by turning my will over to His direction. And while that process may not always be pleasant in the moment, I believe Him when he says it will bring joy.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What does trusting God look like for you today?
How can you express your love for God today?
What do you see with spiritual eyes that changes the way you see yourself and the world around you?
In what areas of your life do you need more love and/or trust?