How Do I Perceive?

Have you ever been told a lie? It hurts to find out that someone has lied to you. It especially hurts when I allow Satan to lie to me. His lie might certainly appear to be truth, but it never is. Appearance does not always reveal what is true. I must pray and look beneath the surface to see God’s truth in each matter. My perception is where Satan's lies can take root. My emotions effect what I believe or do not believe. That is why prayer and Bible study are absolutely essential to discern what is truth and what is a lie.

Jesus taught that appearances are not always true. He explained this to his disciples in Matthew 13: 13-15. “This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” Jesus spoke of those who live by their physical senses. They have to physically see and hear in order to believe.

 

Emotional pain can create a calloused heart–one which erects walls in order to protect itself. However that protection is no protection at all. It keeps out the healing presence of the Holy Spirit. I do not want to have a calloused heart and mind that listens to the enemy’s lies, keeps out the Holy Spirit, and never perceives what Christ really imparts. I want to perceive with an open heart, ears, eyes, and mind. How I long for Him to see in me the quality He saw in His disciples! “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Matthew 13:16-17). Jesus now speaks of those who live by their spiritual senses. They did not have to physically see and hear in order to believe.

 

Help, me, Lord. Help me to strip away the callouses that hide my heart from your healing presence. Help me to spiritually hear, see, and understand your truth with my heart and mind. I lay aside all my physical emotions and feelings and seek your truth. Help me to walk by faith, and not by sight. Then I will understand with my heart, and will be healed.