Perhaps you’ve noticed the phenomenon. What once appeared shallow is now deep. What once looked senseless now seems to be the only plausible truth. The faith that struck you as foolish now fills your heart with meaning. What was once overwhelming is now empowering. What’s the difference? The Spirit and the vision he gives us.
Without the living, breathing presence of the Spirit, Christianity appears to be an impotent, absurd belief system, a poor framework for understanding the world and beyond (1 Corinthians 1:18). No one in his right mind would fabricate this religion; many would (and do) look at us as fools. But when the Spirit fills this strange framework with inward life and fullness, it becomes rich and beautiful—a magnificent story of divine love for humanity, a glorious rescue mission with a stunningly personal touch. To the one whose eyes have been opened by the Spirit, this story—and the Person at the center of it—becomes life itself and the only way to make sense of it.
That’s why, to Spiritless eyes, we’re subject to so much mockery. (Granted, some mockery is deserved. Much of it is not.) But it’s also why we have to insist on seeing everything—life, other people, ourselves—through the lens of the Spirit. If the vision fades, we become critical of our faith and our people. If it’s constantly refreshed, we live with wonder and purpose. The difference is enormous. What causes the difference can be extremely subtle.
No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 1:11 NKJV).
Cultivate the vision of the Spirit. Ask to see through his eyes, to be inspired with new thoughts, to be lifted up to a higher perspective. Your vision is vital—it will determine who you are becoming and how you relate to God and others—and the Spirit is vitally interested in it. If you ask, he will align you with truth, fill you with life, and give meaning to everything you see.
