Women's Focus Ministries: Sunday Writing... 9-16-18... "BLIND SPOTS"

Good morning!

Today's devotional, "BLIND SPOTS", talks about how we all have areas in our lives where we have blind spots. It is hard to know you have them when you can't see them! Find out ways to deal with your blind spots in a God-pleasing way.

Blessings,
Jan
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Today's Devotional

"BLIND SPOTS"

by
Jan Andersen

When I take my car to the auto shop to have something fixed, they invariably not only change my seat position but also my mirrors! I am glad they are being safe and using the mirrors so they don’t hit anything, but then I have to remember to reset them for my own blind spots. It is always different for each person, because it depends upon how tall you sit in the seat, how far back the seat is set, what angle you have the back of the seat, etc. When I was growing up, we were always taught to adjust the mirror so you could just start to see the back door handle, if you had a four-door vehicle. But I have found that does not cover my blind spots at all! So now I adjust it by getting a car in that sweet spot where I cannot see them in my rear view mirror or out of the corner of my eye when looking straight ahead, and then set the side mirror to capture them in that spot.

Life can be like that with blind spots. We may think we have our attitudes adjusted just right so that we know where our weaknesses are, but we often have areas in our lives where we simply do not see our faults. These are our blind spots. Unless something happens that brings them to our attention, or someone else points them out to us, we may never even know they exist. Even when they are brought to our attention, we often balk at the idea that anyone would think we have that short coming. A lot of times the louder we protest, the more likely it is we have that issue! It pinches at our soft spots when we hear from someone else that we are “less than” in an area we thought we were doing well. It takes a lot of courage to face those areas and own up to our blindness to our faults. And it can take a lot of hard work to try to correct them, because they are often so ingrained in our habits.

Some of us have a trusted mentor, close friend, or loving spouse who can help us to discern the errors of our ways. It makes it easier when we go to them first and ask for assistance. Hearing it cold out of the blue from them may make us defensive. So our challenge then is to see them in ourselves first or at least be open to the possibility that we might have sins of which we are not aware. Then we can seek out counsel in these areas. Our most private confessor, God himself, can help us open our eyes. Even more, his arms are open wide to love and forgive us when we confess even those sins of which we are not aware. We call that grace!

Psalm 19:12-14 (ESV) Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Dear Gracious God, our listening ear and confessor, rock and redeemer, we come to you bowed low and humble and ask you to help us to see all our transgressions so that we may seek your forgiveness and your help to change our ways. May our presumptuous attitude about our sins not lead others astray while we are yet unaware. Help us to be good witnesses of your love and forgiveness and to use our past to be of help to others trapped in the same ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Song:

CALL IT GRACE

by Unspoken