Asa, King of Judah, worried that God was near-sighted. Or at least that he couldn’t see his situation very well. And that situation appeared to be pretty bleak. The armies of Israel were besieging his country. 

So Asa, go-getter that he was, decided to go after the problem himself. He took all the silver and gold out of the treasury of the temple and sent it to the powerful king of Aram, Ben-Hadad. Ben-Hadad attacked Asa’s enemy, Baasha, king of Israel, and Israel’s armies were forced to withdraw from their siege against Judah.

Situation solved, right? And Asa could go home and pat himself on the back.

At least, it seemed so. That is, until God sent a prophet to talk to Asa. And the prophet said something pretty interesting to Asa: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand” (2 Chronicles 16:7, NIV)

What?! Well, clearly Asa had settled. He had settled for a victory won by his own small power, achieved by his own petite plan, and now he would have to settle with a small result, when he could have had a much bigger, better result. Had Asa gone with God’s power, he could have had not only Baasha’s armies in retreat, he could have owned the Aramean much more powerful armies of Ben-Hadad as well!

Oops! Big oops.

And yet, how often don’t we do the same? We go out and, forgetting to consult God, failing to ask for his help, falling for the devil’s ruse to rely on our own strength, we attempt to solve all our problems with our own power, and in our own wisdom. 

Maybe we’re just as convinced as Asa that God is near-sighted and doesn’t really see our situation very well. Well, if that’s the case, here’s what the prophet reminded Asa of: “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV).

We are frequently consumed with the idea: “Only I can see my problems. Only I can sort out what to do. Only I can solve my problems.”  That’s “I-Sight.”  That’s what Asa had: I-Sight.

But God says, instead of I-Sight, trust my sight. I have eyes. I see you. I see your problems.  

And better yet, if you will rely on me, you will get solutions to your problems that are better than you ever dreamed were even possible. 

Asa didn’t trust God’s eyesight.  But Paul did. And he wrote this: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)

Are you facing a problem that seems huge - impossible even? Do you find yourself feeling really discouraged, and can’t find the light at the end of the tunnel? Are you tired and worn out from trying to solve all your own problems? 

Then forget about I-Sight. Instead, trust God’s Eyesight. He sees you. He loves you. And remember, he is able to do immeasurably more than all you could ask of him, or even imagine from him.