How God Opens the Eyes of the Heart: A Revelation of His Glory

How God Opens the Eyes of the Heart: A Revelation of His Glory

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be blind to the glory of God, while others see it so vividly and passionately? To some, the gospel is just another story, while to others it is the very breath of life. The answer to this question lies in the way God opens the eyes of the heart.

While the natural eyes, ears, and brains are part of the process of seeing God's glory, they are not decisive in the revelation of his glory. Jesus taught that "seeing they do not see" (Matthew 13:13), which implies that there is something more than natural sight that must happen for us to see God's glory.

Enlightening the Eyes of the Heart

The apostle Paul speaks of the need for "the eyes of your hearts to be enlightened, that you may know" (Ephesians 1:18). This language may seem strange, but it is not beyond comprehension. Most people understand that there is more to us than flesh and bones. We know that we are not just physical beings, but spiritual beings as well. This spiritual aspect of our being is what Paul refers to as the heart.

When Paul speaks of the heart, he is not referring to the blood-pumping organ in our chest, but to the seat of our personality, our emotions, our will, our thoughts, and our beliefs. The heart is the real us, the core of our being. It is the place where we make our most important decisions, the place where we experience our deepest desires and longings, and the place where we encounter God.

God created us with a heart that is capable of knowing him and experiencing his glory. But sin has blinded us to God's glory and hardened our hearts. We have become like the people Isaiah spoke of, who "have eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear" (Isaiah 6:9-10). Our hearts have become calloused and insensitive to God's presence and voice.

But God, in his mercy, has not left us in this state of blindness and hardness. He has provided a way for our hearts to be enlightened and opened to his glory.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Opening the Eyes of the Heart

The primary agent of heart-opening is the Holy Spirit. It is he who convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). It is he who regenerates us, giving us new hearts and new desires (Titus 3:5). It is he who indwells us, guiding us into all truth and empowering us to live godly lives (John 14:26; Romans 8:9-11).

One of the ways the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to God's glory is through the preaching of the gospel. Paul writes, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). The preaching of the gospel is the means by which the Holy Spirit shines his light into our hearts, revealing to us the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

Another way the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to God's glory is through the reading of Scripture. The writer of Hebrews tells us that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). The Holy Spirit uses the word of God to penetrate our hearts, exposing our sin and revealing God's glory.

The Role of Faith and Repentance in Opening the Eyes of the Heart

While the Holy Spirit is the primary agent of heart-opening, we also have a role to play. We must respond to the Holy Spirit's work in faith and repentance. Faith involves trusting in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Repentance involves turning away from sin and turning toward God.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). This purity of heart is not something we can achieve on our own. It is the result of the Holy Spirit's work of sanctification in our lives. But we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit by confessing our sins, renouncing our idols, and surrendering our wills to God.

The Role of Prayer in Opening the Eyes of the Heart

Prayer is also an essential part of heart-opening. Prayer is not just a means of getting what we want from God. It is a means of communing with God, of opening our hearts to him, and of aligning our wills with his. Prayer is a way of acknowledging our dependence on God and of expressing our trust in him.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). This prayer is a powerful means of opening our hearts to God's glory. When we pray this prayer, we are expressing our desire for God's kingdom to come and for his will to be done in our lives. We are surrendering our own agendas and submitting to God's agenda.

The Results of Heart-Opening

When our hearts are opened to God's glory, we experience a transformation that affects every aspect of our lives. We begin to see the world in a new light, as a place that is charged with the grandeur of God. We begin to see people in a new light, as image-bearers of God who are worthy of love and respect. We begin to see ourselves in a new light, as sinners who have been forgiven and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Our desires and priorities are also transformed. We begin to desire the things of God more than the things of this world. We begin to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. We begin to live for his glory rather than our own.

Ultimately, heart-opening results in our eternal salvation. When we see God's glory and respond in faith and repentance, we are saved from our sins and granted eternal life. Paul writes, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). Through the revelation of God's glory in Jesus Christ, we are saved and brought into an eternal relationship with God.

Conclusion

God opens the eyes of the heart through the work of the Holy Spirit, our response of faith and repentance, and the practice of prayer. When our hearts are opened to God's glory, we experience a transformation that affects every aspect of our lives. We begin to see the world, others, and ourselves in a new light, and our desires and priorities are transformed. Ultimately, heart-opening results in our eternal salvation and our relationship with God.

If you are struggling to see God's glory, ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart. Respond in faith and repentance, and practice prayer as a means of communing with God. May we all be transformed by the revelation of God's glory in Jesus Christ.