Gradual sight

“And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’  And he looked up and said, ‘I see people, but they look like trees, walking.’  Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly…

“And Jesus went on with his disciples… he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they told him, ‘John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ…’ 

“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.  And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'” Mark 8:22-25,27-29,31-34

Jesus worked a miracle to give the blind man sight, gradually. A taste, then full vision. He worked the same with Peter’s faith, working in this impetuous disciple a gradual and increasing recognition of who He was and why He had come. Peter was zealous from the start, but could not fully see on his own. The Lord saw who he would become over time, and kept after him to follow. (Matthew 4:18-20; John 1:41-42)

There are many lessons to be learned along the way to maturity. Jesus always performs His miracles in His way and at His pace to bring the best and planned effect. Indeed we are new creatures when we are saved by Christ, but the new then has a long way to go to glory. The miracle worked in God’s economy does not always match our impatient wants, but the gradual journey is a divinely-measured way that God uses to fulfill His every intent. (2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17)

Where have we grown impatient waiting for the Lord to act in or dramatically change a situation? Do we get frustrated when we can’t understand the why and how of daily assignments right away? What have we gleaned from incremental learning that a hurried result or immediate answer would never have accomplished?

Is there a circumstance, an unanswered prayer, a challenge at work or in a relationship where God seems to be taking His time? What is He teaching, what aspect of my character honing, along the way? What new and clearer vision is He giving as I proceed in faith?

Lord, grant me patience and steadfastness as I learn to see You more clearly and grow to love You more.