How You See Is What You Get

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭17-18‬ NLT

We walk through our days with our senses being inundated. Go to a large urban city and the sights, sounds and smells will leave an indelible impression. Living on a farm can have the same impact. And, if you travel to another country, those sensory reminders will always be with you.

I’m reminded how fun it is to teach children (and grandchildren) about the senses. Touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. It’s just as important to teach them about spiritual senses . . . faith, hope, wisdom, love, patience.

As we walk through each day, the impact of our senses, especially our eyes, gives us a unique self perspective. We see things “through our own eyes” and the first thought is “how does this effect me?”

Paul reminds us to fix our eyes on “what is unseen”. He writes, “for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

When we see with God’s eyes . . . eyes of faith and hope . . . our vision changes.

Change In Perspective. God gives us an insight into the impact of our difficulties. We see them as significant, yet God sees them as small and short lived. Grief for today may give way to glory for tomorrow. We are limited in seeing the entire continuum of life. We often measure impact by the immediate. God measures effect by eternity. The pastor of Hebrews writes, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (‭Heb‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ NLT)  Envisioning “what is unseen” allows us to live with an eternal perspective, rather than an everyday one. Faith takes precedent over feeling. Hope is not measured by hours. Trust is placed in the True One.

Change In Problems. Again, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”.  What we see as obstacles, God sees as opportunities. What we see as numbing heartache, God sees as new hope. Trials lead to trust. Solomon tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” (‭Prov ‭3‬:‭5‬ NLT) When we see our struggles through His “unseen eyes”, we sense His unknown solution.

Change In Processing. When we accept that our catastrophes are His concern, we appreciate that He’s in control. It changes the way we perceive our problems. He directs our steps and we depend on Him. It’s written in Proverbs, “The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” (‭Prov‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬ NLT)

Change In Peace. Paul sums it up for us in Philippians 4, “Do not fret or have any anxiety, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants and needs known to God. And God’s peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7 AMP). God’s peace . . . even in our most perplexing problems . . . pacifies and protects. He guards the way we feel and what we think. 

Today, take a moment to see with eyes of faith, hope and love . . . and, trust your spiritual senses.  You may experience a divine and defining moment.