Here or Here?

It was past time to get my eyes re-checked. I knew my eyesight had diminished and that my prescription would have to increase. Throughout last year, I struggled to read through my bifocals (Yes, I am at that age.), but I pushed through. 

In the middle of December, I sat anxiously in the optometrist chair, listening intently to his instructions. "Better here or here? One or two?" He made some adjustments and asked me to read the chart on the wall. Somewhere on line three, the train fell off the track. He said, "How long have has your vision been like this?" Whelp! 

More clicks, more commands, more reading, and then suddenly, I could see every…single… thing… clearly again. 

You probably already know where I am going. 

Holy Spirit brought this back up and related it spiritually in preparation for today's blog. 

How often do we go through the days, weeks, months, or even years knowing that our spiritual health has declined, but we push through?

Some of us are better at pushing through than others, as if there is some glory or prize in going through the motions. Am I telling the truth?! Some fall even farther into a spiritual decline by critiquing others who fell off the track on line three. Heaven, help us!

The truth is that we all, even the spiritually strongest among us, battle with skewed sight at times. Church attendance and discipleship, in-depth bible study, daily intimate prayer with our maker, and surrounding ourselves with those who will hold us accountable, speak truth and love into our lives are essential for our spiritual health. 

The Spirit would have me ask you, "How long has your vision been in the current state it is in?" The fruit of the Spirit is our measuring stick: Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Ouch!

What adjustments do we need to make for this new year to have more of the mind of Christ and for our spiritual vision to come into focus?

Psalm 13:3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from your law.

The daily choice will affect your life on every level. 

Here or here? There is a difference!