“Open His Eyes”

When Elisha’s young servant arose early one morning, he was alarmed to see the city Dothan surrounded by horses and chariots. Syria was at war with Israel, and the king of Syria had heard that Elisha was helping the king of Israel, much like Alma would later help Nephite military leaders (2 Kings 6:8-12; see also Alma 16:5-6, Alma 43:23-24). Now they were surrounded, and the situation looked impossible. “Alas, my master!” he cried, “how shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:17).

In response, Elisha reassured him: “Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Then, he asked God, “Open his eyes, that he may see.” Suddenly, the young man saw “horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15-17).

Sister Michelle D. Craig has urged us to follow the example of Elisha in this story: “My dear sisters and brothers, you too can pray for the Lord to open your eyes to see things you would not normally see.” She specifically encouraged us to ask for two blessings: to see ourselves as God sees us, and to see other people as He sees them. Then, she gave us the following promise:

Jesus Christ loves us and can give us eyes to see—even when it’s hard, even when we’re tired, even when we’re lonely, and even when the outcomes are not as we hoped. Through His grace, He will bless us and increase our capacity. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, Christ will enable us to see ourselves and see others as He does.

“Eyes to See,” General Conference, October 2020

As God helps us see ourselves and others more clearly, we also grow closer to Him. The end result of that process was described both by the prophet Mormon and by the apostle John: “When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (Moroni 7:48, 1 John 3:2).

Today, I will ask God to open my eyes, so that I can see myself and others more clearly. I will acknowledge the limitations of my perception and seek His help in becoming more aware over time.