‘What am I not seeing?’ – Part 1
Feb 25 in Truth
God speaks to me in different ways, can be through something that I see (mostly on one of my walks) which will suddenly jump out at me and become a little teaching parable or through a portion of Scripture perhaps, which though read a thousand times, one day will impact me in a way it has never done before – speaking right into my present circumstances. It may be through something I read or listen to, through a friend’s counsel, prayer or testimony and yet sometimes I just sense that need to be silent and listen attentively for that gentle whisper for there is something God wants to share with me. Precious moments of intimacy where He gently deposits a word, a scripture, a picture into my spirit which will then undoubtedly lead me on a journey of discovery (that will always result in personal transformation) as each piece of the puzzle is revealed until (and usually at the very end of my quest) I get it! Insights into something (now so obvious and simple) which I had failed to see and understand before.
Six months ago, during a time in prayer, I found myself asking: What am I not seeing? Not something that I was planning to say or was even thinking about; though as the words came out of my mouth I knew it was a question I needed to heed. What am I not seeing? And so a new quest began!
Our concept of reality is limited by what we are exposed to, what we see, the information we take in.
There are things we know are there and yet are invisible to the human eye:
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- Ultraviolet light , Infrared rays, Radio-waves
- Atoms, Oxygen
- Gravity, The Universe
- Love
- God *
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*(even prolific atheists will admit to the existence of a higher intelligence whose signature is interwoven in every living cell – our DNA being a perfect example, holding within itself digitally-coded information. ‘If you look at the details of biochemistry, molecular biology you might find a signature of some sort of that designer … and that designer could well be a higher intelligence from elsewhere in the universe’. Prof. Richard Dawkins).
‘For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they (we) are without excuse’ Romans 1:20
We live in an age where we are having to question the things we see and listen to more and more. With all the technology advances, particularly within social media, it is easy to distort our perception of reality by feeding us with a constructed image or mood which is just that, fabricated. Subliminal messages are used through advertising, hiding images in commercial content; psychological operations are used as effective strategies during political campaigns; marketing techniques used to attract customers to a certain product; the manipulation of news by the media and their lack of accountability; the regular use of lies, propaganda and fake news; social media algorithms that analyse the users behaviour and then shape the users’ feed; software tools that let you put words into someone’s mouth they have never said and song lyrics that can influence behaviour, be used to increase emotions and even spur social change … all these contribute to giving us a false lens, a blinkered view of the truth whilst influencing our thoughts, conversations and prayers.
Where am I deceived, what am I NOT seeing?
Our paradigm is determined by our surroundings, culture, experiences and the environment we grow up in. Psychologists term those of us born in the West, under: WEIRD society (having what is called a Western, European, Independent, Rich and Democratic lens through which we see the world).
Most of what we see from a linear point of view is in fact multidimensional; the difference between a soldier seeing the terrain that lies in front of him versus an aero-drone that can explore and gain a wider and more accurate perspective from above.
We have a cognitive bias – unique to our own subjective reality, built by our perceptions – the construct of processing and interpreting our own experiences; these will affect our decision-making, the way we behave and judge the world around us and will build either constructive or destructive mindsets. It is believed that the first time you hear information on a given topic it will become the lens through which you view and evaluate/measure any additional data on that subject. We are more willing to listen and seek out information that will confirm and affirm our existing beliefs; these becoming then the core values and truths that drive us – by which we live. Are we blinded to things that make us feel uncomfortable or don’t measure up and challenge our way of seeing things? How can we bring error to light in our own life?
More than ever, we need to be asking the Lord : What do You see? What am I not seeing? So many times, we assume a narrative to be true because it feels right, it looks good, it makes sense; however, what looks good (Genesis 13:10) is not always what it seems (Genesis 19:24), the crucifixion became God’s plan of redemption, by losing He won (Colossians 2:15). Ezekiel saw a valley of dry bones but God saw a vast army (Ezekiel 37:4-10), the servant saw an army of horses and chariots surrounding the city but Elisha saw hills full of horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:15-17), Joseph saw a lack of justice, iron fetters, captivity, betrayal and prison bars but God saw an opportunity for promotion (Genesis 37-41), Hagar saw desperation, no way out, death; God opened her eyes to see a well; He saw life, hope and purpose (Genesis 16, 21).
What are the dry bones in my life? What areas seem dead and hopeless? Can these bones live? What does God see? Whose report am I going to believe? ‘For no word from God will ever fail’ ‘Is anything too difficult for the Lord?’ ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible‘.
What are the things that look good? That are pleasing to the eye, desirable to make one more … (Genesis 3:6) What is at the root of it? What does God see?
‘Not all that glitters is gold’ William Shakespeare.
Learning to bring every thought captive and under the scrutiny of God’s Word for ‘Then you will know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free’ (John 8:32)
To be continued ….