Seeing With New Vision
By: Kristen L. McNulty
Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.
It was a regular day, or so I thought. I had always loved music, played it, studied it, and have hosted a radio show for over two decades about it. Through Spotify alone apparently during a recent year I listened to music for over 77,000 minutes. Suffice to say I know music and listen to a lot of it and after more than a few decades of doing so, I thought I knew what music sounded like and there were no surprises left, that was until recently when I put on a pair of premium over-ear headphones.
The moment I slipped them on, it was as if I had been living in a black-and-white world and suddenly saw everything in full color. The richness, the clarity, the layers of sound—it was unlike anything I had ever experienced listening in on the standard earbuds I was used to. I put on Skillet's song Comatose which is one of my all-time favourite songs and it was like I was hearing it again for the first time. The deep bass that had once been muffled now rumbled. Every note sparkled with new clarity. Songs I thought I knew so well took on a new life. I heard details I never even knew existed, complexities to the melody that were before out of reach to me. It wasn’t just music anymore; it was a whole new world unfolding before me. And if you’ve ever been treated to music through a set of truly quality over ear headphones you know what I mean. It takes what you thought you knew music was and turns it upside down.
I’ve come to realize it’s a lot like our experience when we come to know Christ.
New Creations
When Jesus enters our lives the difference is striking, like hearing a symphony for the first time after living in silence. Or like seeing the world in full vibrant color after years of walking around with only black and white sight.
The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that when we come to know Christ, we are made into a completely new creation. The old is gone, the new has come.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"*
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
The world around us, our understanding, and even our hearts are made completely new when we encounter Jesus.
The Change That Takes Place
Our hearts, once weighed down with worry and regret, now beat with a newfound peace. The clutter of anxiety is cleared away, and we begin to see a path forward, illuminated with hope. Like a fog lifting, the murky confusion that clouded our thoughts before dissipates, and we begin to clearly hear God's whispers of guidance. The bitterness that once tainted our relationships is replaced with compassion and grace, as forgiveness becomes not just a command, but a joy to extend to others.
We find that our purpose is no longer about striving for success or approval, but about serving others and glorifying God. The trivial distractions that once consumed us fall away, and we’re able to focus on things of eternal value—loving our neighbors, sharing His Word, and caring for the brokenhearted.
Our hands, once clenched in fear or anger, now reach out to help, to heal, and to build. Each day, we begin to see the fingerprints of God in the world around us—in the laughter of children, the beauty of nature, the simple acts of kindness.
Transformed Lives
We see this kind of transformation happen in our own lives and in the lives of countless people throughout scripture.
Think of the moment when Saul, later known as Paul, encountered Christ on the road to Damascus. He had been a zealous persecutor of Christians, seeing them as enemies of the faith he believed in. But when Christ revealed Himself to Saul, everything changed. Saul’s vision was literally blinded, and when he was healed, he not only received his sight back, but he was given a new spiritual vision—one that saw Christ for who He truly was. The world Saul had known, his perspective, was turned upside down. His entire life was transformed, as was His name. Where once he sought to destroy the Gospel, he was transformed into its messenger like no other.
The same can be said for you and I. When we invite Jesus in and choose to become new creations in Him, He changes absolutely everything in our lives. And this transformation continues to do its work every single day as we follow Jesus with our lives.
Gives Us New Vision
He constantly gives us new vision, shaping and molding us into the people He created us to be. Through His Word, He opens our eyes to deeper truths and reveals more of His character, teaching us to see the world through His lens of love, mercy, and grace. He uses our trials and struggles as tools for refinement, allowing difficulties to deepen our faith and broaden our understanding. And because of the new vision He gives, we look at troubles in a completely different light and with a new perspective; understanding these trials don’t put us outside the reach of His hand and knowing that He never leaves us or forsakes us no matter what happens.
Just as an artist refines their masterpiece with each stroke, God works in us, chiseling away at the old, and making us more like Christ every day. So, even when life feels uncertain or challenging, know that God is still doing a new thing in you, giving you eyes to see the beauty and purpose He is weaving in and through every part of your journey. The transformation is ongoing, and with each step, we become more fully the new creation He has called us to be and just like listening to music through those headphones, it's a thing of beauty.
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