STUMBLING IN THE DARK
When I wake up in the morning, I find myself stumbling around, reaching out so I don’t run face-first into the walls. I can usually see perfectly fine, but in the morning, my eyes are half open, it’s dark, and my body isn’t fully awake to match my desire to use the bathroom. It’s a dangerous process, stumbling over clothes thrown on the floor, but determined to reach my destination, I finally make it.
The dark room, coupled with my mind and body slowly waking from a deep sleep, makes it difficult to see the room before me.
Morning light is too bright to see, so I squint my eyes.
To move through my day, I have to adjust to the light. My eyes allow me to see where I’m going, what I’m doing, and who I’m visiting with. My vision guides me and gives me a tool to accomplish my purpose for the day.
Without having sight, we stumble into walls, hurting ourselves and inefficiently moving. Sight allows us to move toward our destination. It provides the avenue from which we can move on the path ahead.
With sight, we know where we’re supposed to go. If we are blind, we must learn how to see.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEE CLEARLY
To see clearly means that my eyes, a tool used to do work, are adjusted to the light and give us the path ahead.
The tool is composed of a cornea, pupil, lens, retina, cone, rod cells, ocular nerve, and occipital lobe, capable of receiving the physical light beams and translating that information into something I can make utility of. It’s because of this process that I can conduct work, play, and live life.
If something is in my eye, I need to remove it. If I can’t see, I put on glasses or move the object so that I can see it more clearly. The eye allows me to do work, but it must be prepared to do so.
Further, we must be able to know what we’re seeing. As children, we learn how a circle means circle, or that a dog means dog. Our sight only allows us to see, but we do not understand what we are seeing. Gradually, we learn to understand the physical world and how to use physical objects to move through the world.
To see clearly means that our tool for seeing works and that we can understand the objects that we see. We apply meaning to those objects and how they can help us move.
Similarly, the eye of our awareness, the lamp of our body (Matthew 6:22), made in the image of God (Gen 1:27), directs our attention, makes us aware of emotions, recognizes desires, allows us to decide between short-term vs. long-term gratification, must be clear for us to see his kingdom and to know His guidance.
Our “eye” allows us to perceive what we see and know that what we see can mean different things. We see somebody going to work out and know the reason behind going to the gym: to get stronger. We see somebody going to a candy store and understand they crave sweets. It’s the motivation behind the physical action that cannot be seen.
Further, we can see somebody posting about their fancy trips on social media and can perceive different things… We can see that they are happy and satisfied with their life because they share their happiness with the world. Therefore, we value going on trips because we think it’ll make us happy too.
OR we can see that behind the trips could be a never-ending desire to go on trips to make them happy. Their standard is so high for happiness that only more and more trips will make them happy. It’s the trips that make them happy, so without the trips, what is left?
They also require social approval, showing how extravagant their life is to feel affirmed. This world will approve of them, but underneath the physical and the spirit, they have become enslaved to this world, requiring the world’s approval for their happiness.
With a clear eye, the Lord God will show us the motivation behind things and how we require much less than the world says we do. He provides the path and all that we need (Matthew 6:33). He uses the physical to prepare our spirits. He’ll give us the vision to act on His guidance. With an understanding of His instruction, our path becomes clear.
Jesus says, “The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:21-22)
PHYSICAL VS. SPIRITUAL VISION
To have a clear eye, we must understand that how we perceive what we see guides our understanding and actions and that we must make room to see clearly.
Further, we must know what obstacles look like, which are often hidden in plain sight, as we seek ways to hold on to the things that feel comfortable but prevent us from seeing his kingdom.
Even worse, these things keep us hidden in the darkness, even though they are impossible to miss in the physical realm. The physical realm itself restrains us to the earth, preventing us from living in the heavenly, spiritual kingdom.
Unfortunately, to take the narrow path (Matthew 7:13) requires facing the world, which is incredibly enticing, and denouncing the world, is incredibly painful.
The only way into the spiritual is by letting go of the physical.
We must understand, remove, and let the light shine forth to see clearly.
First, we must understand the difference between the physical and spiritual.
It’s a difficult pattern for many to see, but hopefully, this can help.
THE GREAT ARCHITECT
Cicero, an ancient philosopher, wrote a short book, “How to Think about God.” He wrote about how when you look at a house, you know somebody designed and built it. You can see what it looks like and its utility– the physical– and the reason why it was built.
The house is a physical expression of an architect/builder’s creative energy. You can begin to understand some of the characteristics of the architect: are they cheap or boujee, do they pay attention to detail, does the house provide safety or does it look nice but is it really dangerous? What does it feel like when you’re in it?
The spiritual realm is more difficult to see, but it’s there. The spiritual would be what you can’t physically see, but the why behind building it– to provide safety and comfort to the people living in it. It’s also an understanding of how the house matches the desires and needs of the family. A big family cannot live in a small house, so a big family must find a big house. The spiritual realm is behind what you physically see. It’s why someone chooses a house.
The architect expresses themself through their creative energy in love. We see their creative energy at play when we see the house; by viewing it, we get a basic understanding of a small fraction of who they are. We can’t physically see their character, but we get a sense of their character by expressing what we see.
The spiritual realm is behind the physical. The physical realm is in front of us, what we see with our eyes. The spiritual is how we understand what we see. We see the world at play in front of us, but how do we understand what we see, and how is that being used to help us arrive at our destination?
Are our eyes opened to his understanding?
CHANGING OUR UNDERSTANDING
To change how we understand what we see, we must intentionally curate our experience to help us see the kingdom.
For example, if I were the coach of a football team, I would create a team experience that helps the team succeed. I would develop practices that help the team improve, bring in inspiring motivational speakers, and speak wisdom to them after practice or during team meetings. I would encourage my team with proof of their progress and how it’s not about where we are now, but where we’re going. I would curate the team and individual player experience so they are primed for success and encouraged to keep moving toward their goals. Hopefully, players maintain a consistent communication pipeline with me so that they know exactly what they should do to succeed.
Similarly, we must curate our human experience to understand how to thrive in His kingdom. By surrounding our full human experience with kingdom-minded information, we become “programmed” to value His kingdom, long-term gratification, sacrificing now for later rather than what we desire on earth. By diving deep into what matters most, which is where we’re headed, what matters, and what to avoid, we can learn to win the game.
By surrounding our experience with the Word and His people and applying His teachings, our eye can see the kingdom. By letting go of things we value most, the things of this world, we can enjoy the world as it comes, but live with our value completely attached to His kingdom.
We can learn to understand where He wants us to go because we can begin to see. If we place our value upon our own current understanding, thinking we know better, than we won’t be able to see His understanding. Caught in the trap of believing everything we see, His kingdom is veiled.
We can’t understand His will when we’re too busy fulfilling ours.
“Blessed is the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Blessed are those in which have nothing in this world and, therefore can be filled with spirit. The world has not overtaken them, therefore can be filled of His spirit.
STEPS TO CULTIVATE A CLEAR EYE
With an understanding of the kingdom, now it’s time to put it into action. How can you cultivate the kingdom vision right now?
To gain clarity, there are three critical actions that help you see the kingdom clearly, and see the path ahead:
1. Rest in Solace
Our world today gives us endless opportunities to be stimulated. Our phones, TV, streaming music services, etc. This endless amount of stimulation is unheard of in human history, as we have more stimulation in one day today than we did throughout a lifetime 100 years ago. Our lives are constantly stimulated. No wonder we can’t hear God.
Let go of stimulation, close your eyes, and find yourself present in the present moment. Only then will you understand that the more you give in to the temptations of the world, the easier it is to give in to the temptations of the world. You want more (dopamine release) because your brain tells you it’s good, which actually means you need more to make you fulfilled. Instead, resting in solace gives you the opportunity to understand how you don’t need anything and can allow God to tell you where to go.
Your willpower and self-control are being depleted for the world’s own selfish purposes. The world lives on because humans make it so. We get to decide whether or not those things take hold of us any longer. We no longer see a need for phones, and the phone wouldn’t exist. We don’t see the value in candy, candy doesn’t exist. It exists because we place value on it and keep it going. The desires of the world maintain the world.
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17
Call to Action:
Find 5 minutes today to do nothing. Let go of your phone, tv, any kind of physical stimulation and rest. Place your attention in your body, feel your fingertips, see your entire visual field, notice your breath and just witness.
This is the first step toward living in the kingdom.
2. Identify the Logs
What are the logs that trip you up? These are some of the questions that can help you identify the logs…
What makes you uncomfortable, and how do you cover up that discomfort?
Do you reach for candy, food, checking your phone, or have emotional outbursts?
Do you have reactions to this world based on previous experiences?
Are you afraid of others’ opinions of yo,u therefore hold you back from voicing your opinion?
Do you avoid emotional distress by overworking or overconsuming?
When you wake up in the morning, what do you rely on to make you happy? Is it something that makes you better or makes you feel better now? The difference between the two is massive because what you search for in comfort is different from what provides comfort.
If I know there is a pile of clothes on the ground, and I avoid the pile, then the pile never resolves itself; it stays there, and it continues to influence my behaviors. I must go around the pile. When addressing the pile is the only solution. It sucks to address the pile, but it’s the only way. You have to take care of the pile.
Example: I love coffee, and coffee influences my mornings. It doesn’t always work well, but I love the feeling and experience. My desire for coffee dictates my morning. Taking a step back from coffee would be painful, but it would mean I’m free from the constraints it places upon me.
Identifying the log, I can see how the log influences my physical.
3. Remove the Logs
By simply identifying the logs, you can understand how those things are keeping you enslaved to the physical. Identification without judgment allows the release of the desire to happen. Judgment holds that desire for the body.
Judgment means that you identify two things as one. You are judging its association with one another. The two are connected. When you judge, you say one thing is bad, so you don’t do it. Or you judge it as good, so you do it.
A judge identifies and imprisons a lawless citizen, and the citizen must suffer the consequences of his actions. The citizen is identified with lawlessness = Bad.
By judging yourself for your actions, you have identified with your logs. The log maintains to be a part of you.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” Matthew 7:1-2
CURATING THE EXPERIENCE
In every moment, we are bombarded with information from all senses: sights, sounds, tastes, smells, feelings of love from our family or friends, feelings that something is wrong, annoyance, or fear from certain strangers. Every bit of information we experience impacts us, and we get to decide whether it stays with us or leaves us unaffected.
Most things we are not affected by: the tabletop, the seat, the air, the elevator music, while some things stick with us, like the car wreck, our chaotic home life, or bullying at school.
The music I listened to as we took a road trip to Colorado will forever be imprinted in my memory, and Spongebob Squarepants quotes will always stick with me. How my family loved me, how a coach treated me, and what it was like to play in front of 75,000 fans every Saturday in the fall are all experiences that will forever be imprinted in my being and influence my actions and expectations.
They stick with me and influence how I see. No longer does a trip to Colorado look the same, nor does hearing that song. It will always remind me of the trip. If this association would be more dramatic or more damaging, and influences how I behave or interact with others, then this could be a log in my eye.
Further, some things stimulate our desires. We desire to be outside, eat food, touch a soft fabric, listen to soothing music, and watch a funny TV show. These are the desires that are helping you cultivate an earthly mindset or a spiritual mindset. Succumbing to these desires with no self-control keeps you constrained to the physical.
Allowing the physical, your immediate, carnal, instinctive desires to direct your actions, means that whatever you see will dictate your actions– your temptations control you.
If we associate goodness with a physical object, that becomes something we place our hope in, and therefore influences our behavior. We became enslaved to it’s perceived goodness.
Instead, if we place value in how that object is useful to our growth, not allowing it to move us but using it as a tool, able to control it’s temptation, it becomes a tool used for God’s purpose.
“Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:16
Because of these imprinted moments, we respond in a way that protects us from experiencing more trauma or helps us experience more of the good moments. Initially, that action was helpful, but if we don’t release those defense mechanisms, it will change how we interact with everyday moments. Or if we don’t let go of the things that we’re so good, then we will always be enslaved to experiencing more of those moments. These moments aren’t ours to hang on to; they are meant to let go of. Letting go elevates you from the physical.
Every human, made in God’s image, decides between good and evil in every moment, every day, throughout the day. Understanding what is right and wrong through His word and His people, and understanding that our initial reaction could be an ingrained response based on these imprinted moments, we can choose life or death.
We can choose to respond rather than react. We can choose what is good rather than we makes us feel good initially. The comfortable reaction is often that which makes things infinitely worse behind the scenes. The difficult reaction is often that which sends love, harmony, and flow into both nervous systems, allowing unity and oneness for those which can recognize its value.
EVERY moment, this decision sends us on a path towards life or death. Choosing right either keeps us comfortable physically or elevates us into the spiritual because the physical hasn’t enslaved our actions.
The difference between succumbing to our immediate instincts and staying comfortable vs. holding off for greater, infinite potential is the act of living in the kingdom.
If you don’t practice self-restraint, placing your hope in God vs. your hope in what’s comfortable, then you’ll always be confined to the physical.
THE KEY TO THE KINGDOM
The critical question becomes:
Are you acting so that your immediate desires are quenched or so that you will grow?
Understanding this difference is the key to understanding kingdom life and cultivating a clear eye.
Are you acting on things that make you feel happy immediately? OR do you act so that what you do improves who you are?
Do you eat to satisfy your taste buds or to have energy? Do you decide to work to feel better or reach for the remote to watch a TV show?
One is immediate gratification, which is easy and keeps you chained to the physical realm. You have no control over the physical, so the physical will always control your actions.
Conversely, by avoiding what is immediately attractive—going to bed instead of going out, reading instead of scrolling through your sports-laden X feed, or allowing someone to vent without spewing your condemning opinions upon them—you find your heart living in the kingdom.
You understand that things of this earth are only a temptation to keep you attached to this earth, while the reason behind the physical is to bring you out of the physical into the spiritual,
THE ROLE OF UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION
When you understand the spiritual, living in the kingdom, you begin to direct your actions accordingly. You see how your comfort or safety in every moment has directed your decisions and led to your current life experience. Now, with the proper understanding, you decide against comfort and instinctive behavior into intentional, God-inspired, infinite actions.
With a clear understanding, your actions will reflect the desire to let go of the physical.
MY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
In college, I had a full-time job being a starting linebacker for the Razorbacks for four years. On top of that, I was taking pre-medical classes and rushing a fraternity. Why? I wanted to make the most of my time but didn’t want to miss the fun college events. In short, I created an environment for myself that was scattered and chaotic. My actions reflected these decisions. I rushed from class to class, then to football, then to study hall. I never missed a party. I never slept.
While I still succeeded, I didn’t have the success I wanted and could’ve had. My football performance and social life suffered, and true learning didn’t maximize its potential. I curated chaos and misunderstanding.
I wanted to maintain my busy-ness because it was more comfortable for me to maintain my busy-ness. This led to distracted energy instead of a laser-focused energy.
My potential performance focused in one realm was dissipated by my total energy directed in multiple.
If I had known this, that doing everything that the U of A had to offer me (physical) prevented me from seeing how these distractions are constraining me to these actions and inhibiting me from realizing my potential.
Said differently, my value of busy-ness, doing more, prevented me from understanding how I was depleted and not fully realizing what was most important: performing at my sport. My advantage in that moment was not attending parties, or socializing. It was not by getting the best grades. While these things could be good, their value paled in comparison to the advantage I had playing college football in the SEC. I couldn’t see that. I could only see how doing more is better because I thought because I was capable of doing it all, I should. This was Satan telling me I could have it all, while in the end, avoiding God’s purpose for me in that moment.
Clouded by the distractions of the busy-ness of college, and my desire not to miss out, I wasn’t able to see the infinite kingdom behind the immediate. My eyes weren’t clear, and the results of my actions displayed subpar fruit.
LET THE LIGHT SHINE
Like a coach to a player, our work is not to be done in isolation, and His success is not to be done without first helping His team win. The coach wants His players to shine and His team to win. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be a coach, much less a good one.
The best coach proudly displays His most loyal and dependable players, the ones He can count on to listen. The best players know that the team’s success and their success cannot happen without the support of a great team. They must bring other people with them.
In football, we all want to win and score touchdowns, but what many aren’t willing to face is the sacrifice of their time and energy, and own personal glory, to get to the point where they can overcome the enemy by helping the team win, which helps you win.
Understanding how the path to victory is only through pain and struggle and putting your immediate desires (safety, comfort, entertainment) on the line IS the clarity.
Understanding the coach’s kingdom allows us to remove the logs and guide our actions. With clarity for His kingdom, we move confidently to let the coach’s light shine.
Adjusted to the light, we witness the glory of how His kingdom pervades our everyday experience and His infinite law at play all around us.
We’ve been trained to use our physical eyes to direct our actions, so we are used to relying on what we physically see. Now it’s time we understand how it’s HOW we see what we see, which is what’s more important.
What you see is one thing. What we can perceive because of what we see is another.
Once we understand how His kingdom is now, we see His kingdom everywhere.
Just as we adjust to the morning light to navigate our day, we must adjust to the spiritual light to walk His path. By clearing our eyes, we open ourselves to His infinite guidance.
Call to Action:
What is one thing you can do today to open your “eye” to the kingdom?
