by Janet Perez Eckles

"Janet, how do you manage to have a positive attitude all the time?" a friend asked.

"I have clear goals to focus on, perseverance, and a complete trust in God," I replied.

I imagine fully sighted people might think that losing one’s physical sight would be a reason to lose their motivation and their eagerness for life. Perhaps it’s true for some, but not for me. My world became dark, but after I lost my sight my inner focus became clearer and more defined than ever.

At age 32, a retinal disease attacked my eyesight, and it won. Its victory was limited to a single battle, however. I have won the war. Let me describe the weapons I used.

The most powerful weapon was a "smart bomb." An explosion within my mind and heart gave me insight that was not naturally in me. I didn’t need to look inward, as some might say. Rather, I needed to look upward, to Jesus—to His guidance and direction.

I held the “victory flag” high as I left behind the battlefield marked with resentment, ugliness, and darkness. As I did that, I stepped into a renewed life of fullness, light, and joy. The days when I felt resentment for so many things simply disappeared.

The process was sometimes slow, but accepting Jesus into my heart dispelled my darkness and gave me a fresh start. Nourished by the spiritual food of His Word, I gained the strength necessary for running the race of life—jumping over hurdles of discouragement, climbing steep hills of frustration, and moving forward through the rough terrain encountered by blind person in a sighted world.

One of the things I resented when I became blind was losing my freedom to drive to the mall. Looking back now, I feel a hint of embarrassment for the shallow way in which I set my priorities.

His Word made it clear: He asked me to give Him first place in my life. I had placed too many other things—a desire to regain my sight, family members, secular activities and goals—above my relationship with Jesus.

My new life forced me to rearrange priorities. What was once so important to me, no longer was. Conversely, what before had held little significance, now became a high priority.

Before I lost my sight, if I had a choice between reading His Word or going shopping, I’d go shopping. But that changed with Jesus in my life. My heart now longs to know Him more. When I allowed His Word to fill my heart, my reward was not just a feeling, but a force that brought with it lasting peace and joy.

When faced with adversity, we all have a choice: To allow trials to overwhelm me or to triumph over the problem by trusting God completely.

How does this work?

When you walk down the path of life trusting Him, He guides you on the best route. Much like a tour guide, He doesn’t leave you alone to walk through the tourist traps of stress, tension, and anxiety. Instead, He leads you to enjoy the abundance of the journey, one that includes laughter, fun and enjoyment!

For me, it means I can leave the drawback of my physical blindness behind. I no longer need to see it as a challenge, an impairment, or a handicap, but a channel through which God’s light shines. It allows me to see my world with new eyes. It empowers me to turn my physical disability into a positive opportunity for growth.

By God’s grace and with His help, I can see beyond my physical limitations and delight in His victory. As He leads me, self-pity, anger, and bitterness turn to confidence, determination, and trust.

Janet Perez Eckles is a regular columnist for Connected and Lifeglow magazines.