Where was the empty cake tin? It had been out for the party my husband and I hosted over the weekend. Now I couldn’t find it. It wasn’t where it was supposed to be, nor was it in the basement where I’d put it after it was filled. I’d already looked for it several times. I reasoned it would eventually show up and stopped looking. Now I was getting frustrated. It couldn’t have just disappeared!

One more time I looked where it was supposed to be and there it was! Obscured by items in front of it, the real issue was that I had not properly looked where I knew the tin should be. As I pulled the tin out, a thought popped in my mind. How many times had I missed seeing God because I just had not looked well enough or I had let other things obscure my vision? I’d like to respond, “None” to the question, but the truth is this has happened more than once.

Failing to Look and Missing God

Sometimes my prayers are answered, but I miss the answer because I’m too focused on how I want the prayer answered. In those instances, I’m not looking well enough for how God is choosing to respond.

Other times I fail to see God at work in my life because I allow things to get in the way. Things like complaining, anger, and unforgiveness become obstacles. I can’t see past the things that can consume me. In the process, I fail to appreciate how God is working and what He is up to. I miss the opportunities He gives me. Only when I finally recognize the obstacle I’ve placed in front of God am I able to remove it for a clearer vision of God and His work.

Have you missed God at work in and around you because you weren’t looking for Him well enough? Have you allowed attitudes or behaviors to become obstacles that obscure your vision of God? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear how you are learning to gain better vision.