“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy your whole body will be full of darkness.” Matthew 6:22
I remember reading this less than a year ago and feeling so drawn to it. I wanted to to be full of light. It was as if the whole world (full of so many blessings) was moving all around me in slow motion but I couldn’t enjoy it. I was caught up in a whirlwind of what felt like darkness and depression. I am so thankful that my season here did not last long but I can tell you it is only by God’s word challenging me to gain His promises that kept hope instilled in my heart.
If my eyes are healthy my whole body would be full of light.
To a person who feels as if they are in a pit, this sounds amazing. Oh how I longed in those times for my whole body to be full of light! And if I was reading this scripture right, having “healthy eyes” would allow me to regain this! A glimpse of hope...
But healthy eyes? How do I get those!?
This scriptures goes on to talk about how we can not serve two masters. There are two things we are capable of worshiping, trusting, & believing...the kingdom of this earth or the kingdom of heaven. Everyday we are faced with choosing which of these Kingdom’s we will be citizens of and in another scripture it compares an eye of a fool to one that focuses on the earth (Proverbs 17:24). So here I was able to imagine that healthy eyes are those looking at the Kingdom of God.
A lamp in the dictionary is referred to as a vessel in which light is produced. So if our eyes are a lamp to our bodies they must be the vessel in which light and darkness can flow into us, which is where our mind, soul, and heart reside.
Everywhere we look something is happening around us and we are forced to take in the sights of this world through our eyes. As what we are seeing is brought inside of us we have a choice to perceive it as the world does or as the kingdom of God does. If we use the vessel of our eyes as a chamber to refocus our sights we can make this choice properly. In any given situation we can see the good or the bad, we can see the struggle or the blessing, and we can receive the lies or the truth.
Before we allow our experiences to get to our mind, heart, and soul we must take the time to make sure they are purified by the hot oiled lamp of our eyes. In order to create healthy eyes you must perceive things as the Lord does, focusing on the good not the bad, focusing on what went right not what went wrong. Light will flow into your body and as you are full of light you will have the ability to shine it out for everyone to see.
For me, I fell into a trap of seeing motherhood, a housekeeper, a professional, and a wife as a burden. My eyes were contaminated. I allowed my experiences of life to be shaped by the world’s perception. “This isn’t fair.” “This is hard.” “There’s no way I’ll be good at this.” “He’s so lucky.” “All I do is give.” “Who’s looking out for me?”
I know these statements are ugly and judge me if you want but this is where I was. This is how I was perceiving the blessings God gave me. It wasn’t until I began to restore my eyes (perception) that I could see these things differently. Being a mother is a high call of God. It is a blessing to be a servant. I am loved first and foremost by God but also by so many others. It is an honor to take care of my home. God built me for this!
The lamp of my body needed new oil and I began to change my focus. I began looking at all the blessings in my life and started perceiving things in accordance to God’s word not the enemies lies. And because of this by the time my experiences and situations reached my heart they were pure. Their purity instilled joy and hope within me and I was able to experience being full of light again.
I can now recognize the difference. When darkness resides in me I know I am looking at something wrong or I am dwelling on something that doesn't align with the kingdom of God. I have to go back to my lamp and restore the vessel.
What parts of your life feel as if there in the shadows? You too can restore your eyes, start seeing things differently, open up the chamber of light again and be filled.
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, DWELL on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9
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