I’ve recently had cataract surgery on both eyes. Because I’ve worn glasses since the seventh grade, my excitement was running high over the possibility that I would never have to wear them again. Even though my ophthalmologist cautioned prior to the surgeries that it could take several months for the eyes to adjust to their new lenses, I really expected that it would happen sooner rather than later.
For years I’d heard people talk about having cataracts. My husband had already had cataracts removed from both his eyes. I didn’t fully understand what that meant, though, until I experienced it myself.
Good sight is dependent on the lenses of our eyes remaining clear so that the light can enter and focus just as God intended. However, as our eyes age the lenses can become cloudy. It usually happens slowly, and we may not even realize our vision has changed or is not as sharp as it used to be.
I am simply in awe of the intricacies of the human body and especially the eyes. I’m also amazed God has given us the ability to learn about those intricacies and has even permitted us to join him in the healing process.
Cataract surgery allows the doctor to remove our old cloudy lenses and replace them with clear artificial ones. Unfortunately, my doctor was right. It does take time for the eyes to heal and begin working together again with the new lenses in place.
I’ve become rather impatient that the process isn’t working at the speed I envisioned. Not only is my closeup reading vision still slightly out of focus, but if you see me about town you’ll probably find me wearing sunglasses—sometimes even inside. That’s because the new lenses allow much more sunlight to enter my eyes than I can often comfortably endure.
Just as God designed our eyes to see the light of the physical world, so He intended that the eyes of our souls let in the perfect light of His Word. However, over the years our spiritual sight can become darkened. You might say we develop cataracts in the eyes of our souls. Sin darkens our spiritual vision in tiny increments and so gradually that we may not even realize we’re no longer seeing clearly.
Jesus, the Great Physician, wants to clear the lenses of my soul’s eyes. But He won’t do surgery without my permission. I have to want my vision cleared so that I can see the truth He has set plainly in front of me.
I must be patient with the process, though. Just as with my physical eyes, I want my spiritual healing to be amazing and instantaneous, and I don’t want any pain associated with it. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. As Rick Warren of Saddleback Church has said, “The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable!”
The problem is we don’t like to be uncomfortable, and when we are, we want to fix the situation immediately. Just as I wanted my doctor to fix my cataracts without discomfort and without waiting, I also want the Great Physician to simply heal my soul immediately and without any pain.
However, that’s usually not the way God chooses to work. When we truly know and understand God and what He wants for our lives, it’s not at all surprising that He takes his time to develop our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. He knows how quickly we forget. I think He often chooses to show us in the physical realm what he wants us to learn in the spiritual realm.
It takes time to learn to trust our physicians. As we see their knowledge, skill, and compassion bring us healing, we trust them more and more. The same is true in our relationship with God.
God doesn’t have to take time to heal us. He can do that instantly. It is for our benefit that He takes His time as we see in Ephesians 3:17: “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” It takes time for us to learn to trust God, and it may not be without pain, but where else can we go for healing?
Here are a few ways to ease the stress of the season so we can be called to peace.
I was sick and tired of my parents controlling my life. It seemed like I’d been having one long argument with my father as long as I could remember. I thought the only way to get out from under the tyrannical oppression was to hurry up, get a college degree, and start earning my own money.
Still, if I really take time to stop and study it, my son reminds me of myself a lot. We look alike and we both are strong-willed. But in the heat of the moment I don’t seem to be able to find any empathy. Afterwards, when I’m calm, I can re-play the situation and identify with my son even though he insists I have no idea what life is like for him. But in the middle of our conversations when I’m angry and worried about him, I can easily forget how sensitive and intelligent my child is. And I forget how fragile all relationships are and how harsh words can shatter our connection.
So, the reality is that my son is 18 years old, and he’s registered in the Selective Service System with over 16 million other men potentially subject to being drafted into the United States military. He is an adult with adult responsibilities whether I like it or not.
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