Temporary Blindness

Physically and spiritually, we may get a temporary blindness. A temporary loss of vision or temporary blindness is an alarming sign which may speak of a more serious underlying condition. Medically it is called amaurosis fugax and is defined by Merriam Wesbter Dictionary as “temporary partial or complete loss of sight in one eye that is typically caused by an abrupt reduction in blood flow (ischemia) to an eye“. According to one medical encyclopedia, one cause of amaurosis fugax is a blood clot that blocks an artery in the eye, thereby, causing less blood to flow to the eye. The Word of God is true when it says, “For the life of a creature is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11). Even our eye could not live without blood flowing through it.

We also get amaurosis fugax spiritually. There are times in our life when the precious blood of Jesus could not flow freely into our lives. His blood, which is life for us, is blocked by many cares of the world. We look around and we see injustice. We see wicked people live in health and wealth. And we grow envious, jealous, and resentful. The Psalmist in Psalm 73 aptly describes how we felt at one time or another regarding the injustice of the world, “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” – Psalm 73:2-3. When we focus on the injustice and the seemingly unfair treatment of this world to the faithful and righteous, we become blinded from the great riches and hope we have in Jesus. Like the Psalmist, we can slip and fall. If we have physical blod clots that block the blood flow in our arteries, we also have spiritual blood clots that blocks the life-giving blood of Jesus to flow in us. “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.” – 1 John 2:15-16. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life are spiritual blod clots that can render us blind temporarily or permanently. Because we envy what others have and we desire their riches, achievement, and earthly glory, we are blinded to the much greater glory that God has for His children. In the case of the Psalmist, he was blinded temporarily, for he eventually saw the great hope and glory he has in God.

The cure for temporary blindness is to remove what blocks the blood flow. In the physical aspect, amaurosis fugax can be treated by giving the patient medication for blood thinner, medication to lower blood pressure, or a surgical procedure to remove the clot. Spiritually, we also need a surgical procedure to cure us. “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” – Deuteronomy 30:6. “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” – Ezekiel 11:19. God has to operate our hearts and make it new. The main source of blood flow and circulation is the heart. Even in the spiritual sense, it is the heart that needs mending. In the Bible, the heart is also referred to as the soul of man for it is the center of man’s emotional, mental, physical and moral activities. God already made healing and newness of heart and mind available to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. But we, as God’s followers, should act upon it consistently. Like the Psalmist who afforded the cure to his envy of the wicked by going into the presence of God, “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” – Psalm 73:16-17, we also need to rise up and go to God in obedience. Then like the Psalmist we can say, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:25-26. It is after he entered God’s sanctuary that he was able to see the real deal in the injustice he saw. He realized then that, “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.” – Psalm 73:27. For what we see here and now are but temporary and the way of the wicked will never be prosperous for all time. They will always have a bad end even with the wealth and glory they were able to amass for themselves. As Christians, we could not set our eyes on earthly things because this will cloud our eyes and blind us to our true treasures. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:1-2. Being in Christ means that our focus is not on things and riches of the world for a far greater riches awaits us in His glory. When the Psalmist set his mind on earth, he almost slipped because he grew angry and envious of the wayward people who were more prosperous than him. But when he set his mind above, to God, he was cured and he was able to see the truth. The truth is, nothing is permanent in this life. Even the glorious flesh we have will fail. But when we are in God, we are in Him forever. Our strength is enduring. We are citizens of heaven and not of earth, so we should set our minds on things of heaven and not on things of earth. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” -Philippians 3:20.