“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
We have a 2020 Subaru Outback. It is such a blessing from God! And it has all sorts of gadgets and gizmos. I don’t understand several of them and some I simply don’t know how to use. But one is absolutely amazing. This device will alert me when a vehicle is in my blind spot. A light will flash on my outside mirror. My Outback is looking out for me!
Physically we all have a blind spot where our optic nerve enters the retina (Vocabulary.com). But we don’t even know, or realize it is there. By definition, a blind spot is an area in your range of vision that you cannot see properly but which you should really be able to see (Collins Dictionary). One definition says it is something that you are unable or unwilling to understand (Longman Dictionary).
Our minds are quite amazing. Even more than the gizmos in my Outback. Our minds will literally fabricate the missing bits, that is, our blind spots, all the while we are totally unaware that we are actually doing this. It happens at a subconscious level.
Likewise, we can have blind spots in our understanding, as we take on presumptions as if they are facts. The Bible talks about such things as becoming strongholds in our mind that must be torn down, demolished by divinely empowered weaponry (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). What makes these blind spots so dangerous is our ignorance, even denial that they are there. A car can have a blind spot but as the driver begins to change lanes the other vehicle that was previously unseen will honk and rudely awaken the driver, hopefully, before a crash can occur. But with strongholds, we can be confronted with truth and still not see it!
That’s how deception works! Usually the one deceived would perceive the one honking as in the wrong! The deceived become deceivers (2 Timothy 3:13)! The crazy thing about deception is you don’t know that you are deceived, AND because of that, you become an instrument to deceive others!
Ask the Lord to show you any and every place where you have blind spots and/or strongholds. Ask Him for the grace to see what is true and the courage to apply it to your life! Ask Him to show you anybody whom you have deceived, and if you need to go to them and confess your deception. Ask the Lord to show your pastor any and every blind spot he may have. Ask the Lord to give His people in Athens a fresh anointing of discernment to know when we are operating out of a blind spot!
