O LORD, open His eyes So He May See

Reference Text = Elisha 6:17 -  And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Remember this story in the bible? The story where Elisha was basically being ambushed by an army. His servant was extremely afraid because he thought it was the end for him and Elisha. However, Elisha prayed that God would open the servant's eyes so that he would know that there was more that were for them than those that were against them.

Although, their enemies were all the servant could see, the reality was that God had sent hills full of horse and chariots of fire; an army of God sent as protection, to come against Elisha's enemies.

The ability to recognize the things we have working in our favor (especially in the midst of bad situations) is something that can be so helpful to us. To be so consumed in fear and worry sometimes makes it EASY for us to overlook the opportunities, blessings and provision that has already been provided for us!

I recently heard a preacher preach from the story of Hagar. In this story, Abraham sends bondservant, Hagar and their young son away from their home and Hagar eventually runs out of water and thinks the son is going to die of dehydration! The bible says she put her son under a bush because she didn't want to witness his death. But then God came and made a promise to her then opened her eyes and she was able to see there was water near her all along!

The Bible says in Gen 21:15-19:

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.
¹⁷ God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ...”
¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

The bible doesn't say a well of water appeared or that an angel came and created a well of water for Hagar. It says God opened her eyes and she was able to see the well of water that was there all along! Previous to the encounter, she couldn't see the well because she was so sad and depressed by her current situation. But God opened her eyes, just as he opened Elisha's servant's eyes, so they could see that in the midst of their worrying their was provision for them all along!

An optimistic attitude is not a cliche thing created to make you lie to yourself or trick yourself into believing everything is ok when its really not. On the contrary it is a way for us to take the scales of fear and worry off our eyes enabling us to see that the One who is for us is greater than the problems that are against us. He has already provided springs of water and chariots of fire for us in order to deliver us from the traumatic situations we have been facing! Our worrying, sometimes stops us from seeing that.