“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT
As I step into this New Year of 2020, I have found myself thinking a lot about what it is that I desire to see in my life and the life of my family this year.
The words that keep coming to mind is “Clarity” and“Focus”. It is interesting to me that both of these words have to do with “Vision”.
Clarity + Focus = “2020” Vision
I just went to the eye doctor last month and had my eyes checked. Although I had Lasix surgery about 8 years ago and have loved every minute of experiencing 20/20 vision, they told me that inevitably my “perfect” eyesight would begin to diminish as I got older, especially my close up vision. I actually began losing my close up vision this past year. (Alas, the joy of being in the over 50’s club!).
I can’t help but relate this to my life over the past 7 or 8 years. In all honesty these years have had lots of struggles and some pretty traumatic life events for our family.
Unfortunately, I can see where these events had a huge impact on mine and my family’s life… spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally… and not in positive ways. They have undeniably changed me and sadly, caused blindness in my spiritual walk with Jesus.
I am realizing that my problem was I have focused so much on the “Why’s” which always lead me to doubts, questions, and more questions. These have led to the weakening of my “Spiritual eyesight”.
I have recently sensed God saying to me that as long as I focus on the “Why’s” I cannot walk into 2020 and experience the clarity and focus I long to have in this season of life.
I’m sure we would all like to have perfect vision as we journey through this life here on earth. In that, somehow, we think that if we had perfect understanding, or God’s understanding, we would handle our circumstances so much better.
Although I believe that God wants us to ask for vision and clarity for the situations that we face in this life, it must be equally measured with faith in Him, in His will, in His ways.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”.
Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV
In other words, our plans and God’s plans don’t always line up. As a matter of fact, according to the scripture above they aren’t even in the same galaxy!
Unfortunately, this is what often leads us down the rabbit hole of the “Why’s”, and the reality is that the more we focus on the “Why’s” the more we begin to doubt God’s goodness in our lives.
When asked during an interview about what it was like dealing with the why’s of an aggressive form of cancer he was fighting, financial advisor and Money Matters founder Larry Burkett answered simply “I have never asked why, but only have asked what. What is it that you want to teach me through this LORD?”.
I’m convicted of how much time I have wasted on the “Why’s” rather than focused on the “What’s” that God has longed to teach me during this difficult season on life.
How about you friend? Trust me, if this resonates with you, you are not alone. I have certainly been here as well, but I am not staying here, and my prayer is that you don’t either.
I’ll end today with a quote from Larry Burkett who now has absolute eternal 20/20 vision as he sits at the feet of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“When you don’t know what the answer is… you know Who the answer is”!
My prayer for us this year is for the Lord to help us to focus on Him and His vision for our lives, and to trust that if we do this, we will experience clarity and 20/20 vision in 2020! I pray that we don’t allow ourselves to go down the never-ending rabbit hole of the “Why’s” but rather keep our focus on the What’s and trust solely in the Who…where all answers are found!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him (The Who), and he will make your path straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6 (Emphasis mine)
