A few months ago, Beth and I vacationed on the north slope of Minnesota. The views of Lake Superior are simply stunning. I return every year on a personal writing retreat. It is a highlight of my year.
One of the sites to not be missed is the Slip Rock Lighthouse overlooking the massive lake. While touring the lighthouse, I learned something I didn’t know about lighthouses and about lighthouse keepers.
The most important job of a lighthouse keeper is to clean the lens.
The same could be said for each of us. Paul talked about seeing through a glass “dimly” (I Corinthians 13:12).
One of the tasks of recovery is to see ourselves clearly. Thomas Carlyle said, “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.”
Recovery Step: Take a closer look at yourself – your sobriety, fantasy life, habits, and spiritual disciplines. Don’t focus too much on what lies in the distance. Look at what is right in front of you. But first, ask God to clean your lens.
