I recently had eye surgery. Actually I first had it nine years ago.

Because of the shape of my eye, Lasik was not an option, but I had a procedure called PRK. The doctor fixed me up so that my right eye sees at a distance, and my left eye sees close up. They call that mono vision. I don’t understand it, but I love it. For the first time since I was 6 years old, I could see clearly.

About a year ago, I noticed that the distance vision was becoming blurry. It was determined that I could again undergo PRK, this time on only the one eye. I am happy to report that everything seems to be working.

But there was pain before there was gain. For almost a week my eye was in pain that came and went. And when it came it was with a vengeance.

My eye would water to the point that I could not keep it open. The palest of light was blinding. Mostly it felt like a piece of grit in the eye. Three or four times it was as if someone had stabbed me in the eye.

And yet I can say with certainty, it was worth it. The ability to see without contact lenses or glasses gives me so much freedom. Whether reading a book, watching a ball game, or searching for my golf ball in the woods (all the time watching for copperheads) I can see.

Two life lessons occur to me as I think of this. First, we need to see life in a proper fashion. Without glasses, contacts or surgery my vision was flawed. I needed help.

I also need help to see spiritually. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives me that sight.

The second lesson is this: We have to go through the pain in order to experience the gain. My basketball coach was adamant about this during conditioning drills. But it applies to all of life. God does not forsake us, but he allows us to go through trials that test our mettle. Sometimes our spiritual battles rival Marine boot camp. But the Lord has not forgotten us.

I hope you can see what you most need to see. And I pray that you can see past the storm to the beauty of the rainbow in the future. The Lord is with us. We can count on him.