I Blew It!预览

Day 5: “I Can’t See a Thing!”

Welcome to day 5! With the completion of this day, you’re over halfway done with the I Blew It! plan. Today we’re talking about blindspots.

Several years ago, God opened my eyes to a major blindspot in my life: complacency. People can be blind to almost anything: bitterness over unresolved past hurts, a sense of entitlement that they deserve God and people to treat them a certain way, the drive to be a success, a propensity to laziness, the demand for a comfortable life, the need for approval, a critical and judgmental attitude, nagging behavior, and many other problems. When God or people try to point out our blind spots, we often ignore them or ridicule them. Blind spots make us feel completely justified in our destructive behavior and negative attitudes. Until God breaks in, we stay stuck for a long, long time.

But blindspots can be valuable teaching opportunities.

Throughout the Bible, blindness and darkness are used to teach important spiritual truths. Paul tells us, “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). When we are living by our flawed vision, we will inevitably miss things. We must follow the Lord in faith.

One of the most difficult—and important—tasks people face is addressing the blind spots in their lives. Many people live their entire lives in darkness about their flaws because they’re unwilling or unable to shine a light in the dark places of their hearts. It takes a lot of courage to be honest instead of defensive, but the benefits are incredible.

We also need to face uncertainty and blindness without fear. Fear is a barrier between us and the things God is calling us to do. It keeps us still when God wants us to move, quiet when God wants us to speak, and withdrawn when God wants us to reach out.

When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses had been tending sheep so long that he lost confidence in his leadership abilities, but God still had a mission for him. After his initial hesitations (I can relate!), he marched boldly into Pharaoh’s presence and demanded, “Let my people go!” Joshua and Caleb believed God to lead the people into the Promised Land and conquer giants even when others cowered in terror. David put down Saul’s armor and faced the colossal giant, Goliath, with a sling and five stones.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear but the willingness to take action in the face of fear. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul reminds him, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT). What is Paul saying? Crippling fear doesn’t come from God. Instead, God pours out the solution to fear: power, love, and a sound mind.