Spiritual Blindness

A spiritually blind person is not someone unable to see God but someone who does not believe in the very existence of God. It is when a person denies believing in Jesus Christ and His words.

Because they are separated from the Lord, those who are spiritually blind won’t be able to notice when the devil and his demons have gained access to their life.

Despite its dangers, you can overcome spiritual blindness, and one of the first steps is to know its nature and signs.

What Is Spiritual Blindness?

According to Rev. Kyle Norman from CrossWalk, blindness is an inability to see, while spiritual blindness is an inability to see the workings of the Spirit.

Isaiah 35 prophesied the following, “The eyes of the blind will be opened. (John 35:5),” and Jesus fulfills this prophecy by curing the blind.

However, despite his sincerity, he often receives incredulity and ridicule. Rev. Kyle Norman states, “ As the blind are made to see, those who “see” refuse to accept Jesus’ words or actions. This is spiritual blindness.”

When people refuse to recognize and believe in God’s presence through the works and words of Jesus Christ, they are considered spiritually blind.

Spiritual blindness can also be attributed to the Pharisees and Scribes during the time of Jesus Christ. They thought they had conquered the ways and teachings of the Lord, but they ridiculed and doubted the miracles and teachings of Jesus.

Furthermore, the Compelling Truth described spiritual blindness as similar to being spiritually undiscerning. According to 1 Corinthians 2:14, the natural person denies the works of God and considers their folly, and he cannot understand them as he sees himself as spiritually discerned.

The spiritually blind perceive spiritual things as nonsense.

What Causes Spiritual Blindness?

According to John Piper, many reasons can lead a person towards spiritual blindness. Some people are too proud to believe in God’s power, while others completely deny divine workings.

Many people also fall into spiritual blindness when they care more about what others think, not the real essence of God’s teachings.

For instance, the Pharisees and Scribes believed they had completely mastered the ways of God and, thus, became unaccepting of Jesus and his ministry.

The heart of the Pharisees and Scribes were set to the standards of the temple, not in the true essence of God’s love which is unconditional.

They perceive Jesus as a charlatan who spreads false knowledge when in reality, they become close-minded because of their pride and limited understanding of the Lord.

John Piper added that our blindness results from our desire and preference for darkness over light.

People were not turned spiritually blind against themselves, as they had a complete will on whether they would reach the light or not.

Signs of Spiritual Blindness

A spiritually blind person cannot see the truth because they refuse to accept God. Many characteristics define spiritual blindness in people. 

Here are the most common signs of spiritual blindness that can help you spot if a person is devoid of the divine light:

Sign #1: A spiritually blind person has no longing for spiritual matters.

A person who is spiritually blind lacks any kind of longing in spiritual matters. On the other hand, a you are spiritually alive.

Sign #2: A spiritually blind person does not know who they are.

Similar to the Pharisees and the Scribes, a spiritually blind person can be religious yet blind to the real essence of their faith.

They do not only lack awareness about God’s will but also lack true knowledge of themselves. Their spiritual darkness makes them handicapped in identifying their iniquity and sins.

Sign #3: A spiritually blind person lacks empathy.

A spiritually blind person fails to understand the effect of their actions on other people. They are so trapped in their desires and needs that it bars them from perceiving the emotions of others.

They see themselves as always righteous and are critical of others’ mistakes. They blindly follow their faith without deeply understanding that it should be based on love and compassion for their fellow human beings. 

Sign #4: A spiritually blind person is devoid of hope.

A spiritually blind person’s hopelessness stems from their inability to believe in the existence of God. They continue to ignore the divine workings and remain entangled in their version of the world. 

Their world is full of sins, and their spiritual darkness keeps them from feeling motivated about a new awakening.

Sign #5: A spiritually blind person does not take responsibility for their actions.

Another common sign of spiritual blindness is when someone does not take responsibility for their sins and focuses on man-made traditions.

Instead of acknowledging their wrong actions, they tend to spiritually bypass and use their faith and spiritual practices as justifications for their actions.

And by not taking responsibility for their sins, they save themselves from feeling any sense of shame or guilt. 

Sign #6: A spiritually blind person gives importance to religious performance.

A spiritually blind person is quick to judge people if they fail to meet their standards in terms of religious performance. They deplore people who do not focus on religious performance as much as they do.

They thrive in the superficial aspects of religion and not in the real essence of it. They also believe that what is externally shown is much more important than the nature of their intentions.

Sign #7: A spiritually blind person has hardened their heart.

Because of their pride and inability to accept the real meaning of their faith, a spiritually blinded person denies seeing the truth.

They are so resolute in their limited understanding of the teachings of the Lord that they tend to doubt and ridicule real miracles outside of their belief.

Similar to what the Pharisees and Scribes did to Jesus Christ. They have hardened their hearts and accused him of using the name of God to defy the temple and trick its followers.

Sign #8: A spiritually blind person lies to themselves.

A spiritually blind person tends to always have an excuse for their rebellion against God. Their separation from God and His truth lead them to believe their lies until they become their truth.

Some convince themselves that God is not real, while others believe that their version of their faith is superior to others. 

Although we are shaped in the image of God, our human consciousness won’t be able to comprehend Him completely.

Sign #9. A spiritually blind person is filled with fear.

Sometimes, a person turns spiritually blind because of their past experiences. Painful past experiences come in the way of people, which separates them from God. 

Sometimes, it’s the unanswered prayers and desires that make them create an image of a God that needs to be feared. Their fear is for a God who will judge or get angry over their actions. Or a merciless God who does not listen to their prayers.

However, in their blindness, they fail to see that the real God is an embodiment of unconditional love.

He listens, but he knows what’s for us and not. He sometimes doesn’t give us what we wish for because he knows that this wish will harm us or there’s a perfect time for our wishes to come true.

How to Overcome Spiritual Blindness

Rev. Kyle Norman explained that to overcome spiritual blindness, we must be like Paul, who, despite his strong resistance against Jesus and his disciples, still turned to God and fully embraced the presence of Jesus Christ.

Paul taught us that no one is exempted from God’s reach. 

He’s a sinner who persecuted Christians and the disciples of Jesus Christ. But when he experienced God’s miracles, he repented and became one of the great contributors to the spread of Christianity.

So to break free from spiritual blindness, the first step is to let go of pride, reach out, and accept Jesus Christ in our hearts.

Wrapping It Up!

Spiritual blindness is an inability to see the workings of the Spirit and the miracles of Jesus Christ.  It is formed in excessive pride and our overestimation of our limited understanding of the Lord.

Pride keeps us from embodying humility and trust, which are the basic foundations of real faith. It keeps us from practicing compassion because it separates our hearts from our fellow human beings.

To break free from spiritual blindness, one must learn to melt one’s pride and open one’s heart to all of God’s possibilities.

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