Why We Look But Don’t See – Part 2


“And unfortunately due to their inability to see the best of life just passes them by…” — Rick Cox.

We previously spoke of how judging and criticizing others can cause you to lose the ability to see that which is often in plain sight to those around you. James Allen gives an example of this in his book, The Secret of Health, Success, and Power. In his example, there was a man who had for years tried everything to be rid of a painful disease. He went from one doctor to the next, in one town to the next and then moved from one charlatan or healer to the next and did all of this to no avail. Finally, one night in a dream, he was approached by a Presence, which asked, “Brother, have you tried all the means of a cure?” He replied, “Yes, I have tried it all.” “No you haven’t,” said the Presence. “Come with me, and I will show you a healing bath, which has escaped your notice.” The presence could have just as easily said, “Come and let me show you that for which you have been LOOKING for it has been right in front of you all the time.”

The afflicted man followed as the Presence led him to a clear pool of water. The Presence said, “Plunge yourself into this water and you shall surely recover.” The diseased man quickly plunged himself into the pool and coming out the disease had left him. At the same moment rising out of the water he saw written above the pool the word ‘RENOUNCE.’ Upon waking, the full meaning of the dream flashed across his mind and looking within he discovered that his condition was the result of a sinful indulgence, which he vowed to forever renounce. From the first day of implementing the vow, the affliction began to leave his body and soon he was completely restored to health.

What we find in this story is the Presence asked the man if he had tried it all and the man answered that he had. Interestingly enough he had not tried it all for the Presence said come with me and I will show you a healing bath WHICH HAS ESCAPED YOUR NOTICE. The truth was the man had been looking, but was not able to see that which was right in front of him. This is the way it if for a large majority of us. We do look and we continue to look, but we are unable to see.

As stated above there are many things, which can keep us from seeing such as a poor and demeaning attitude, a critical spirit, selfishness, bigotry, etc. In the case of this man it was an over indulgence, which caused a blindness, not allowing him to see that for which he was looking. What is most important however, is when shown what it was, HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND RENOUNCED IT thus, opening his eyes to that which would bring the healing. We could say it opened his eyes so he could see what he needed to do to effect the healing. As such all of us have something on which we need to work; something to overcome, and doing so will help open our eyes.

There was a time in my life when I had hated my father, but didn’t realize the degree or the adverse effect this hatred was having on me. One evening after hearing a great sermon I began to talk with God about my feelings regarding what I had heard. As I was praying with my eyes closed I began to hear, feel, and see the howling cold wind and snow blowing against a small corrugated tin shack with a red light on the outside. I could also hear the faint sound of a crying boy.

The next thing I knew I was inside this little shack. There, sitting on the floor right in front of me was the little boy I had heard crying with a man and woman behind him engaged in intercourse. As I moved closer seeing the boy’s face somehow I knew it was my Dad. He was six years old. I also knew it was his mother (my grandmother) behind him. Seeing as how she had no education and was raising three boys pretty much by herself due to the fact her husband was gone up to two and one half years at a time because he was running boot legged liquor, running from the law or doing a stint in jail, she began to use the only things she felt she could use to feed her family. At that moment I instantly knew why my Dad had a lack of respect for women.

Then very next thing I saw was my father as an adult walking the floor saying out loud he had done all he knew. He was in essence telling God he had done all he could and it was up to God. What was interesting was I actually became aware of the fact my Dad believed what he was saying, which made me even angrier. I however, did not agree with his assessment and began to argue with God. I was adamant in my stance, arguing it was my Dad’s responsibility to be the father. It was my Dad’s responsibility to come to me. It was my Dad’s responsibility to say he had wronged me, my brothers, and my Mom.

What I came to know in my heart was the next, very necessary step, was to forgive my Dad and then ask him to forgive me. This was important and it was important that it be done in that exact manner. I was to forgive first then ask for forgiveness.

The hatred, bitterness and lack of forgiveness had, up until that time, been keeping me from being all I could be. These unschooled emotions kept me from seeing when I looked. Through acknowledgment and forgiveness I came out of the experience a new and better person just like the man above that acknowledged and renounced. In the days that followed I went from being blind to being able to see. My eyes began to open in the same manner that man’s disease began to disappear. My life became richer and fuller.

Now and then, when I find myself unable to see, I know it is because I have been critical of others and or allowed time constraints to bind me to thinking pessimistically. Might this be your problem as well?

Best of LUCK as you
Labor Under Correct Knowledge…

Respectfully,

Rick Cox