“What do you see?”

I was at the eye doctor looking through what appeared to be a glorified microscope at what seemed to be a slide show. Every few seconds, the optometrist would hit a couple of buttons and ask me the question again: “What do you see?” If you have ever had this experience, you probably remember that small images, letters, or numbers that appears before you. For whatever reason, the image of a small, ink blot style pine tree sticks in my memory.

When the image popped up, my job was to answer the question. What would happen next depended on how I answered the question. If I answered correctly, the optometrist knew that I could see clearly. However, if I answered incorrectly, or the image appeared a little fuzzy to me, it told the optometrist that an adjustment needed to be made. Ultimately, what I saw was largely dependent on the lens through which I was looking. The optometrist’s job was to determine if the lenses in my eyes were providing me with a clear picture, or if they need some correction.

The reality is lenses play a critical role in what we see. Without a lens, an eye will not function. When we want to see something in the distance, or something too small to see with our “naked eye”, we use lenses to magnify an image. There are lenses that will make a 2D image into a 3D movie for us to enjoy. There are even lenses that will make Christmas lights appear to be projecting small, red Santa Clauses as far as the eye can see. The lens you use greatly influences your perspective, and this is not just true of our vision.

Over the last couple of posts, we have been exploring what it means to thrive. We looked at the important role environment plays in thriving (click here to read the post). We then dove into the role the stories we tell ourselves play in the life we choose to live (click here to read the post). We said one key is to not be defined by the brokenness but to instead choose to write a different story in the midst of the brokenness. How do we do this? It starts by choosing a different lens.

One of the interesting facts about lenses is that they largely go unnoticed. This is ideal when it comes to literal vision as it means the lens is working properly. However, it can be problematic when it comes to how we see and perceive our lives and the world around us. You see, everyone is looking through a lens. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, our lens is shaped by the many experiences and voices in our lives. This then shapes our perspective on how we see ourselves and others. Without an awareness that we are looking through a particular lens, we may never ask ourselves if it is providing us a clear picture, or distorting our vision. A distorted vision can lead to a distorted internal narrative, leading to a life shaped by hopelessness.

The good news is the lens can be changed. In my experience it starts with a clear understanding of the God who created you. Author A.W. Tozer famously wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” While this may be somewhat controversial, it makes sense. If we see our creator as cruel and uncaring it can leave us feeling as if we were created to suffer and live a meaningless life. Conversely, if we see the God who created us as good and loving, we are much more likely to believe we were uniquely created to live a life of meaning and purpose.

Changing the lens starts with a willingness to self-reflect on your current lens. It is in taking the step to ask yourself what you really believe about God that you will discover the lens through which you are seeing your Creator. Once you have clarity on the lens you are using, you can begin to understand the forces that have shaped your lens. This will allow you to then determine what it would look like to change the lens through which you see God. Are there lies that have influenced your view of God? Have difficult experiences left you questioning God’s goodness? It is in working through these questions and more that a new lens can be formed.

Just to encourage you, this is a process informed by grace. I believe sometimes we are unwilling to ask ourselves these difficult questions because we believe God will be disappointed with our answers. Nothing can be further from the truth. God knows it is in a willingness to ask these questions that we can gain a clearer picture of who He is, which changes everything.

While the lens through which we see God is an important starting point it is not the end of the journey. What is God’s view of you? This is the next lens we will explore.

James Belt

Click here​ for more information on my book Hope Realized and resources to help you bring hope to others!