A Faith That Works When Life Doesn’t: Part 5Sample

Three Steps to Reveal Your Blind Spots

Your natural tendency is to lie to yourself. You believe your feelings, even though your feelings aren't always accurate. You believe your thoughts, though your thoughts aren't always true.

This is because we all have blind spots, which are attitudes or weaknesses we cannot see or refuse to see even though they cause conflict with others.

So how can you see beyond your self-deceptions to the truth? There are three simple ways to start working on your blind spots.

First, ask God for clarity. Pray the prayer of Job: “Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again” (Job 34:32 NIV). When you know your heart is deceitful, ask God to remind you of what is true about him and about you. Ask him to help you trust him.

After you've asked God for clarity, ask some trusted Christian friends or family for help. God puts people in your life to help you because they see things in you that you can't see. They can see your blind spots, just like you can see theirs. Proverbs 12:15 says, “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others” (NLT). If you think you can work on yourself by yourself, then that in itself is a blind spot. That is self-deception. Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others.

Then, ask Jesus to change you. Jesus said, “I am . . . the truth” (John 14:6 NIV). And the Bible says the truth will set you free. So the closer you are to Jesus, the more your life will be filled with the truth. That means you're going to be less vulnerable to self-deception as you walk in the light of God's truth. God’s truth helps you see yourself and others as you really are.

Jesus said in John 9:39, “I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind” (TLB). He wasn’t talking about physical blindness. He was saying, “I've come to earth to help you see your blind spots and to help you get your sight so that you can see yourself as you really are.”

God can deliver you from your hidden faults, blind spots, and self-deceptions. Ask him for clarity, ask some trusted Christian friends or family for help, and then ask Jesus to change you. The truth will set you free!

Talk It Over

• What are some things you tell yourself over and over again that you know are lies?
• How does knowing God’s Word help you see your blind spots? What can you do to know God’s Word better?
• Who in your life can detect your blind spots? Are you open to letting them tell you what they are? Why or why not?

This devotional © 2021 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.