Have You Heard the Loud Popping Sounds?

"One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

How would you describe your spiritual awakening? There is something amazing about having our eyes opened; it is like coming out of darkness and into the light and for the first time we can see things that may have been there all along. I once heard a story of one’s spiritual awakening, the person said, "My spiritual awakening was very intense. Everything was dark-- pitch black-- and then out of no where I heard a loud popping sound like a cork exploding from a chilled bottle of champagne at a wedding banquet. The next thing I knew there was light and I could see." When asked about the loud popping sound the person said, " Oh, the loud popping sound? That was my head popping out of my rear-end."

Have you ever been enlightened like that person? Blindness and sight are interesting. It has been my experience that I usually do not gain sight until I am willing to admit or acknowledge that I am blind. Part of the problem with my spiritual blindness is thinking that I can already see, for most often I’m not conscious that I am blind. As long as I am unaware of my blindness I may not allow God to come close enough to touch my eyes and heal me. Most often, my spiritual awakenings occur in direct proportion to my willingness to admit that I am blind. It is not until I recognize that I am blind that I have a true desire to see.

"Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." Thinking that I am right; thinking that I know, hold, possess and control truth; claiming that I can see, is a not indication that I have sight but rather is what keeps me trapped in my blindness, prevents me from seeing the light and hearing loud popping sounds. Jesus is basically saying, if you think you can see then you may have your head up your butt.

Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Read that again. "I come so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." What does this say to you? Are you blind or do you possess 20/20 vision?

Jesus constantly yanks my covers and challenges my perspective on how well I think I can see and possess the spiritual truth for others. Just the other evening my wife hit another car while changing lanes. She looked and thought she could see that it was clear to change lanes, but the other car was in her blind spot. What are your blind spots? Where are you blind? Heard any popping sounds lately?

Today, I need to get in touch with my blind spots instead of claiming to have sight into yours, it is the only way I’ll ever be able to see. It is the only way I'll be able to pull my head out of my rear-end.