Lenses: 
We’ve heard the saying “seeing things through rose-colored glasses”. Well often the lens on our perspective of things can be far from rosy!

A lens affects how we see things. A lens can correct defects of vision. They can be used to make images larger, smaller, or clearer. But if the lens is smudged, dirty, or cracked, then the picture that we actually see, will not be so clear and the lens is not working the way it should be. The actual object, vision, view has not changed. It is not distorted or blurry, but the way we perceive it and see it, will be.

Often our “life lenses” are smudged and affected by our life experiences. If we have experienced trauma or been mistreated, then we may tend to see things through a victim lens. If we are betrayed or hurt by people, then our view of things may be through a lens of unforgiveness, bitterness, and distrust. If we have experienced broken promises and disappointments over and over again, then our lens may be filled with cracks of disbelief and doubt which distorts our views. We begin to not trust people who would not purposely try and hurt us or be disloyal. Our lens causes people, opportunities, good experiences, and yes, even God’s goodness and love to become so blurry and unclear that we end up confused, paralyzed and trying desperately to figure out life or do life on our own.

Interestingly, God created our eyes with its very own lens. This lens takes what comes in and refracts the light, changes the direction, so that what we are looking at is coming in clearly. It is the part behind the pupil that helps us to see clearly by focusing (collecting) light onto the retina. So what if we did this with our spiritual lenses? With our “life lenses”? What if we allowed, invited God, who is light, to come in with each experience, good or bad, with each person we come in contact with, with each opportunity. What if He became the filter, our lens, to help us see what is happening to us, around us, and in us more clearly? I want to “collect” His light and His truth, by spending time with Him and in His Word in order to shift my perspective, clean the smudges and fix the cracks so that I can focus clearly on what He is doing and wants to do in me, no matter the circumstance. He can refract what is coming into our lives, change the direction, take what has been meant for harm and turn it into good. He can help me see through a lens of hope, faith and love.

It’s time to CLEANSE THE LENS! COLLECT THE LIGHT AND TRUTH! And watch our views, our vision, our perspectives become clearer and dare I say ROSY!