Last year, my daughter experienced a sudden, critical health crisis. Despite rapid treatment, a significant vision deficit resulted. Over the next weeks and months, she navigated limitations and learned ways around them. In the process, other senses sharpened and she cultivated reliance on multiple stimuli for compensation and perception.
Following are some insights regarding vision:
Vision is an Under-Appreciated Gift
When my children were young, they had a series of animal books, which highlighted unique facts about the featured animal that allows them to survive and thrive in their environment. One of the most interesting is the camel, which has three sets of eyelids. The inner eyelid is clear, closes side-to-side, and acts in windshield wiper fashion to clean the eye. This eyelid allows the camel to see while keeping sand out of the eyes during desert windstorms. The outer eyelids have excess lashes, which also aid in keeping sand out of the camel’s eyes.
The eye is a complex organ, a window on the world. Vision is a magnificent, multifaceted gift. Often we don’t appreciate the magnitude of the gift of vision until it is suddenly impaired or lost. Cherish the gift of vision. Choose wisely what you view and how you view.
Vision Shapes Perception
Several people I know have recently had surgery to remove cataracts or lift drooping eyelids. Prior to the surgery they complained of darkness, haziness, or occlusion of peripheral vision. After surgery, brightness was enhanced almost to the point of being painful. Cloudiness was replaced with sharp contrasts.
Many things in life cloud our vision—past hurts, disappointments, unfulfilled dreams, health issues. Like hazy growth on eyes, these events and memories change our perception, causing skepticism, hesitancy, even fear.
Over time, much, but not all, of my daughter’s vision was restored. Restoration was a slow, incremental process. At times, increased vision was so subtle it was almost imperceptible, yet each advancement was cause for joy and thanksgiving.
The same may be true for you as you regain physical, emotion, or mental clarity. With restoration comes more accurate perception and renewed vision.
Vision Guides
In any crisis, there is a tendency to wonder why and lean toward self-pity. But crisis is an opportunity to see a broader picture and learn, if you look with spiritual eyes.
So many people in today’s world are spiritually blind. They place faith in money, the words or others, or their own perceptions or abilities. Yet, when things do not turn out as they anticipated, they are disillusioned, wandering aimlessly because they can’t comprehend and don’t value spiritual guidance.
Like vision, insight is a gift. The ability to see beyond current circumstances, and trust guidance for what lies ahead, can only be accomplished by cultivating wisdom and insight, and by viewing situations with spiritual eyes.
“Yes, if you want better insight and discernment, and are searching for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure, then wisdom will be given you and knowledge of God himself; you will soon learn the importance of reverence for the Lord and of trusting him.” Proverbs 2:3-5 TLB
Vision Precipitates Forward Motion
True vision is forward-looking, seeing not only what is right in front of you, but also confidently envisioning and stepping toward what is ahead. Insightful vision propels forward motion. Even though fear niggles at the back of your mind, or your vision for the future doesn’t occur in your time frame, trust God’s provision, vision, and timing. Vision not only sees, but also discerns and trusts.
“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries , wait for it, For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 NASB
©CandyArrington