We use our eyes in almost every activity we perform: reading, working, writing, driving and countless other ways. Our eyes allow us to see and interpret shapes, colors and dimensions in our world. Most people would probably agree that sight is the sense that they value the most.

There is another kind of “sight” we have when we understand God’s truth, and it should be at least as valuable to us as our physical eyesight. By looking at the amazing way the components work together to produce physical eyesight, we can understand more about our spiritual eyesight.

The complexity of vision

The process that creates our vision is very complex, and yet we rarely think about it in the morning when we first open our eyes. Light waves from an object enter the eye through the clear cornea and then through the pupil. The cornea converges the light waves and produces an inverted (upside down) image just behind the lens.

This image is sent through the vitreous humor and back to the retina at the rear of our eye. In the retina, light impulses are changed into electrical signals that are sent along the optic nerve to the brain, which combines and then interprets all these electrical signals as real-time visual images.

One thing that makes vision so amazing is that we do not actually “see” with our eyes, but rather with our brains. Our eyes are merely the beginning of the visual process. It is the combination of the eye and brain that translates light waves into the sensation we call sight.

Seeing physically involves much more than just opening our eyes and looking around. Two key things must be present—light and the ability to translate that light into something comprehensible. When we apply this to our spiritual eyesight, a connection is obvious. We also need these two things to “see” spiritually.

Seeing spiritually

One thing that makes vision so amazing is that we do not actually “see” with our eyes, but rather with our brains.

First, we must have the light of God’s truth. Solomon wrote, “For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light” (Proverbs 6:23). Similarly the Psalms tell us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). When Jesus Christ spoke about God’s way, He said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

When God shines the light of His truth into our lives through His calling, it is just the beginning of our “seeing” process. Next, God’s Spirit must work with our minds to begin to help us understand His Word. Without this step, the “light” is meaningless. The Holy Spirit is much like our physical retina that translates light into electrical signals that the brain can interpret. God’s Spirit provides the interpretation or translation that allows us to understand and “see” spiritual truths. God calls us, opens our minds and then gives us understanding (John 6:44; 1 John 5:20; Ephesians 1:15-18).

Myopia, hyperopia and blindness

For physical sight, 20/20 vision is the goal. That is the ability to see a certain size object at the distance of 20 feet. Many people, however, do not have this precise vision. Two of the most common reasons are myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). In both cases, the eye is unable to focus the light properly, so vision becomes blurry—either for near objects or those far away.

We can also become spiritually nearsighted or farsighted if we are not careful. Life’s activities can easily cause us to focus on unimportant things, blurring our spiritual vision.

The apostle Peter warned against spiritual nearsightedness in 2 Peter 1:8-9: “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” Verses 5 through 7 give a list of godly characteristics that will help prevent spiritual nearsightedness: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

Without clear vision, we can begin to drift from the “straight and narrow path” that God tells us we must follow as Christians. We must work to keep our “vision” sharp through continual prayer, Bible study and fasting.

Unfortunately, some people are physically blind. Legal blindness is usually defined as visual acuity less than 20/200 with corrective lenses. There are many causes of physical blindness, but the result is the same—the inability to see.

We can also become spiritually nearsighted or farsighted if we are not careful. Life’s activities can easily cause us to focus on unimportant things, blurring our spiritual vision.
Most of society today is spiritually blind. They cannot understand the truths of God that may seem so plainly visible to those God has called now. Paul also tells the reason for this blindness when he says, “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). God currently is allowing this blindness.

Physical eyesight is an incredible gift. Being able to see the rich colors and diversity of objects in our world cannot be equaled by any of the other senses. Spiritual eyesight is an even greater gift. It allows us to “see” those things that cannot be equaled by anything in this physical world.

We should never take understanding God’s truth for granted. “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:16-17).