The Renegade Psychiatrist – Believer, How is Your Spiritual Vision?

By Larry Banta 

I noticed I was having trouble seeing when I was about 12 years old. I was an avid reader but words were not clear. My eye doctor did not seem to be able to provide me clear vision so I used reading glasses from that very young age. In medical school, my best friend, Andrew, told me his dad was an ophthalmologist and was really good at correcting vision. I went home with Andrew on a holiday for his dad to do an exam. He gave me a new prescription. When I collected the new glasses, I was surprised at what I was missing. Now I could see in 3D when it was rather flat before. 

The Bible talks a good bit about spiritual vision. How is your spiritual vision? Are you 20/20? Is there blurring, distortion? Not really seeing what God is doing? It seems most of us are not seeing well at least some of the time. Maybe it is time for a spiritual vision checkup. 

The soon to be Apostle Paul, first known as Saul, was on the road to Damascus, Syria. He was certain that serving God meant eradicating the world of those pesky followers of The Way. Saul dedicated himself to seeking out the believers and persecuting them. He was even involved in murdering them. He was sure that his vision was good, that he was doing the right thing. 

We read about this in Acts 9. Suddenly, he was confronted by a blinding light and the voice of Jesus: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:4b)” 

He was blinded and had to be led to the next city to await further instructions. He was soon met by a local disciple. Acts 9:17-19 reads: Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” 

Scales fell from his eyes and he could really see. Now what he thought was his job, persecuting the Christians, was all wrong. He could see that God had called him to not be a persecutor but a follower of Jesus. 

During my years in college, I was an avid true believer…in evolution, atheism, or at least agnosticism. Do your best and maybe after death, eternity would be okay for you, if there was maybe something after death. That was my spiritual vision. My mother finally convinced me to attend church. She had recently accepted Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade. I heard the music was good so I decided to go. The preacher spoke right to my heart. I was convicted of sin. I came to Jesus that night and was baptized. It was a New Year’s Eve service so I really never knew if it was 1973 or 1974. I was amazed at the change in my heart. 

Suddenly my vision was clear. I could see the world very differently. Returning to my mother’s house after the service, maybe 3 a.m. or so, I pulled out my textbooks I brought home with me and opened a Bible. It all made sense. God’s Word was real and true. The textbooks were not. Wow! I can see! Amazing! I see the beauty of life, of Creation, and also see the terrible corruption of the world through our sin. My blindness was severe, but my new vision was quite revealing. Scales had truly fallen off my eyes. 

The scales come off when we first believe, but as we live in this corrupt world, our vision becomes clouded, blurry. It becomes hard to see what we need to see. I enjoy seeing clearly and knowing what I am looking at. We need something to correct our spiritual vision so we can truly see. What is 20/20 spiritual vision like? 

We have 20/20 spiritual vision when: 

• We can truly see the awesomeness of God our creator.
• We can look around and see His amazing creation.
• We can truly see our humble state before Almighty God.
• We can see, and accept with gratitude, the wonderful gifts He has given us, our talents our family, our work, our many blessings.
• We can see the desperateness of the broken world around us.
• We can see His will in our lives, our role in the family, the church, the community.
• We can see our part in responding to those around us in need of a Savior, in need of comfort, of counsel, of mentoring, of a godly example.
• We allow our vision to be so clear that our hearts break with what breaks God’s heart.

How do we get there? What is the treatment for spiritual blindness? Our first step is just like with the blind man that Jesus healed in Mark 10:50-52. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. 

We confess our blindness and ask for healing, for Jesus to come into our lives, that we may see. We ask Him to open our eyes. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Psalm 119:18). 

We then check to see if there are things in our lives affecting our vision. 

I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me (Psalm 101:3). 

Sin in our lives pulls us away from God, makes our vision blurry, distorted. 

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8). 

Jesus says he has a salve to heal our spiritual eyes so we can see clearly.   

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see (Revelation 3:18). 

The salve could be considered the blood of Jesus. As we draw close to God, confess our sins, seek His help, He cleanses us from sins and that allows the Holy Spirit to keep our vision clear. Then we can stay focused, run the race and finish strong by fixing our eyes on Him. 

Having a good prescription to see clearly can make a big difference in our lives. 

Dr. Larry Banta is an author of several books, a retired psychiatrist, and a former missionary. He served in India, Mexico and Kenya. He and his wife, Evelyn, a counselor, travel together to provide consultation and training in various international locations.