Making Adjustments

I’m getting old. There, I said it out loud.

I am almost 50 (two years to go!) and I recently had to get an upgrade in my glasses prescription. I call it an upgrade because that sounds better than saying my vision is getting worse.

I knew it was time because when I looked through my glasses, I noticed my left eye was working harder than usual, and when I closed it, I could see better in general. So, I booked an appointment.

We went through all the usual tests; the looking at the green X, the VR headset to see the white dots in my peripheral vision, and the air puff for glaucoma that almost knocks me off my seat. Why is that so surprising? I know it’s coming, and I still jump every single time.

And then I make it more awkward by commenting on how high I jumped. And then during the vision test it feels like my life depends on me choosing between Number 1 or Number 2. When they are both about the same, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that or not, so I sit in silence while he shows me again. And one more time, until I finally say with uncertainty “Uh…number two? Maybe a little?”

Good times at the eye doctor. Good times indeed…

My distance needed to be stronger a bit in my left eye, the astigmatism in my right eye worsened a little, and my bifocal needed strengthened in both eyes. Yipee.

Anyway, my normal frames went up in price so my insurance no longer covered them. Shucks. I liked them a lot. So I tried on new frames, sent the required selfies to my family group chat, and we all agreed the third pair was the winner.

The place I go to makes the glasses in about an hour. This is awesome, because I usually have an errand or two to run in the meantime, and then I can head back to pick them up. They even text me when they’re ready. Love that.

The lady had me try them on and didn’t even need to make adjustments! She recommended I wear them the next day with fresh eyes. I agreed, as it was late in the day and I was already a little tired.

The next morning I was excited to put my new glasses on. I was not ready, however, for the feeling of blurriness that came with the new prescription. Especially the bifocal strength. I kept repositioning my head to look at stuff, wondering which part of the lens I should be using. It was a little disorienting.

Did you know it can take several days or even a week or more to adjust to a new prescription? It takes a while for your brain to get used to the new visual information. I was definitely feeling it!

And even though the new lenses were exactly what the doctor ordered, and I knew I needed them to see better, they were not easy to get used to. I was tempted to take them off and just wear my old ones, even though I couldn’t see really clearly out of them anymore, either.

And I started thinking about how our spiritual lives are much the same.

We go through life looking at things one way, and then we meet Jesus, and He gives us a better view on life. He shows us the truth, and gives us a new prescription with which to view the world.

And when we first get it, it’s exciting because we know we needed it, and it’s just what the doctor ordered. We can’t wait to move forward with better vision. However, it can be hard to adjust to.

It takes our brain a little while to get used to this new information.

Things seem blurry at times, and we can be tempted to go back to our old way of seeing things because it’s easier. We don’t want to put in the effort it takes to get used to the new lenses. We don’t like the awkward feeling of adjusting ourselves to figure out which part of the lens to use. We don’t want to re-train our eyes and our brain.

But it is so necessary.

Walking by faith and not by sight is such a great picture of how we learn to grow in Jesus. Many times I am convinced I know what is right, until I get into His Word and see that His promises and guidance say something completely different.

When I take steps of faith to walk in the ways God outlines in His Word, even when I can’t clearly see how it can work out, I grow closer to Jesus. I learn to trust Him more. I get better adjusted to His way of seeing things, and it becomes clearer and less awkward.

I am so thankful for the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life! I see so much clearer now than I did even five years ago. It’s definitely been worth the effort to adjust!

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Luke 1:77-79
(77) To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, (78) Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, (79) To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Romans 8:1-6
(1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.