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Vision
by Aaron Griffith Vision. Sight. I struggle with both. I should wear glasses, and actually, I own a pair, but like many men I know, I just haven't surrendered to the fact that I need them yet. My eyesight is not the greatest, but it is adequate enough for the tasks I must accomplish each day. This is not the kind of vision and sight I am talking about though. Vision. Sight. Lust. That is the struggle. A war has been raging within me over this for years and I have battled, many times painfully, against this force called "Lust". Force? Absolutely. Anyone who has fought this fight against Lust, however it may present itself, knows what I am saying. Whether it comes at you as an addiction to Pornography, or as an Adulterous affair, or even just the emotional intoxication of flirting with that girl at the office, however it has revealed itself, there is a force there. Sometimes the "pull" seems stronger than gravity and harder to resist. My own personal war has been, in its simplest form, an ever wandering eye and, at its most sinister, an addiction to Pornography. The strange thing is that I wasn't really aware I had a problem until after I became a Christian. Once the Spirit of our Sovereign and Holy God had been introduced to my "life situation", I first felt the effects of this Lust-force on my life, and the fight was on. For years, I've struggled against the shame and isolation that goes along with this addiction. Luckily for me, I have one of the strongest, most supportive women I have ever known, as my wife. She has truly been my helpmate and has vowed to stand with me this, and with her at my side, I have battled. I would love to write something inspiring and spiritual about how I have overcome Lust, but I will be honest, I struggle. Every day I struggle. Every time I flip through the TV channels it is there. Every time I sit at this computer alone I hear it calling me. Every time I walk around my college campus it surrounds me. I struggle. Vision. Without it, life becomes pointless and we become aimless and spiritually useless. This "Vision" is profoundly effected by our "Sight", and of course our "Sight" is what we look at through our eyes. This is effected by many variables and situations, some within the realm of our control, many not. Okay, simple enough. Jesus says that if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out! (Mark 9:14). What!! That's what God says to remedy this problem?! Well, I guess if I had no eyes, I couldn't stare at the curves of that girl in my Chemistry class, or flirt with trappings of the internet. So, It makes sense to a point. But Lord, if I lack the discipline to look away, you would prefer me blind? Taking out my eye would physically end my sight, but it would not stop the force of Lust. Many times Jesus spoke of spiritual things mirroring the physical world. In this instance, I think that He is doing just that. I believe that Jesus is describing a very drastic, somewhat deranged, physical response to Lust to show us how damaging the effects of Lust can be to us and everyone around us. I think He makes it clear that the effects of Lust are so damaging, that we would be better off blind than to give in to this temptation. But, to live in this world and serve His purpose for our lives, especially in today's culture, we must see. We cannot place ourselves in a position of blindness to the ills of our society and the people trapped therein. We must be able to "see" them, right where they are. We need "Sight". We need "Vision". We need physical "sight", guided by Spiritual "vision". We need "GODSIGHT". We must petition, through prayer, God's sight. We must ask Him to gouge out the eye that causes us to stumble, and replace it with one that moves us to worship. We must ask Him to give us eyes that see as He sees. So that we can look at the world, and the people that we encounter every day, we look at them not as objects, but as children of our King, valued above all creation. We must study and meditate on God's word so that we can come ever closer to understanding more deeply, His VISION for this world and our part in it. Vision. Sight. Love. This is the Struggle. We have been BLIND, God grant us SIGHT. Give us eyes that see this world as You do, with Love. Focus our sight Love and on the VISION You have for this world and the people that You place in our paths every day. Change our view of reality and give us eyes to see.....You. Since 2003, Aaron Griffith has been a follower of Jesus Christ. He and his wife Rian have two beautiful girls & together they lead Isaiah 58:10 ministries sharing the transforming grace of Jesus by serving the needy in their community. Aaron also serves as a worship leader & Men's Ministry leader. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |