I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. Ephesians 1:18
We live in a world of darkness and we get lost in it often. Plenty of voices offer to help us out too – there’s no shortage of people who will offer advice and speculate on the right things to do and the right decisions to make. Navigating a landscape of diverse philosophies and beliefs can be very confusing.
That’s why one of the greatest requests we can pray for each other, as Paul did for the Ephesians, is for a spirit of wisdom and revelation (v 17). Or as he so colourfully puts it, “that the eyes of you heart may be enlightened.” And Paul seems to have some pretty specific ideas about what our hearts need to be enlightened with.
We need to know the hope of our calling, the riches of our inheritance and the power that is available to those who believe. If those things are firmly embedded in our hearts, we won’t find ourselves lost in the darkness very often.
Think about it: if we are certain of our hope and know what God has called us to do, if we understand what we have already begun to inherit and if we realise the amazing power of God working on our behalf, then discouragement and confusion becomes a lot less prevalent in our lives.
We may have moments when we need specific guidance or encouragement but the overall picture is remarkably bright. None of the setbacks and opposition we face can even begin to undermine God’s foundational promises. The hope, the inheritance and the power are greater than anything that comes against us.
This is a perspective-altering prayer. When the trials of our lives loom large in our vision, we become fearful and depressed. But when we lift our sights to the truths that are greater and even more real than our circumstances, we can overcome anything.
If any situation oppresses you today, lift your eyes higher. Get a clear picture of the hope, the inheritance and the power of God and live and pray as though they are more real than anything else in your life.