Blind people...

“But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT

When was the last time you got frustrated because someone just doesn't get it?  God does things that are amazing and nothing you can do or say can get them to see it from that perspective.  This verse sheds some light on the issue.  You can't expect a blind man to see.  It takes the eyes of the Spirit to see spiritual things.  New ager's often talk of enlightenment and spirituality, but all they can see is the deception of the enemy.  To some extent you can't fault them for their blindness.  Jesus encountered this:

³⁹ Jesus then said, “I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind.”
⁴⁰ Some Pharisees overheard him and said, “Does that mean you’re calling us blind?”
 ⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you’re accountable for every fault and failure.”--John 9:39-42(MSG)

He's willing to give them credit that they don't get it, but since they claim they do, that credit is useless--partly because in their arrogance, they won't be able to ask for real sight or accept His help to understand.  It's ok if they can't see because He came to help them see.  It's not ok to refuse to see.

In the same way, it's ok if someone doesn't get it yet.  The answer is to pray for God to open the eyes of their Spirit (and He will.)  On the other hand, if they just don't want to get it, that's a different matter.  At that point, Jesus just lets them stay in their blindness--until they are uncomfortable enough there to want something more. 

I'd be careful here, because as children of our Heavenly Father, we are called to bless and not to curse--and we don't know what will break their arrogance.  We really don't know what will break our own arrogance.  I pray that the Lord is gentle with me in this regard so I want Him to be gentle with them as well.  When Jacob wrestled with God, God knew exactly where to touch to disable Jacob's defenses.  To me it seems like the best way to pray is that the Lord contend with them until they can yield to Him, and continue to serve them as best we can. 

The frustration of dealing with stubborn people (including my own stubbornness) is what grinds us down--like adding a beautiful bevel to a piece of glass so that it is fit to go into a stained glass window.  The process hurts, but the result is patient endurance that reflects the Father's patience.

I want that (sorta).