Sorry, Eyes

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A pen is designed to write. A book to be read. A violin to play music.

A pen can also punch a hole in a watermelon. A book can work as a decent footstool. And in a pinch, a violin would make fine kindling.

Likewise, eyes can lust. But they’re not designed to.

If you struggle with lust, you need to know this. Your eyes aren’t the problem.

Christ came to condemn sin in your eyes, not to condemn your eyes (Romans 8:3), Why? Because there’s nothing wrong with how he designed your eyes. They’re perfectly designed to love.

Maybe your eyes have gotten really good at lusting. Maybe you can’t imagine they’ll ever stop. No matter, practice trusting that God’s Spirit in you is at work giving His life to your eyes (Romans 8:11). This is a fight of faith, to be sure. But it is one worth fighting.

As a part of this faith walk, do this:

Apologize.

I mean it. Tell your eyes you’re sorry for mistreating them.

I don’t know where I got this idea, but when I was trying to stop using pornography, I’d take time afterwards to confess to God, and then I’d put my hands gently on my eyes and say:

“I’m sorry. Jesus made you to look with love, and I let sin mis-use you to lust. Please forgive me. In Jesus’ name I bless you to love.”

Here’s what I like about this practice:

  1. Like apologizing to a person, it helps put you and your eyes back on the same team.
  2. It reminds you that your eyes aren’t the problem, lust is.
  3. It honors your eyes for the great gift they are.
  4. It reorients you that the goal isn’t to see less, it’s to see with Christ’s love.

I know, it sounds funny. And it might feel weird to do. But give it a try and see if it doesn’t help over time. Something about this can actually stir you toward using your eyes creatively, joyfully, lovingly.

That’s what they were made to do.

Leave a comment below: What’s one way your eyes can love that no other part of your body can?

Seeing,
Josh

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