“Learning to See Beyond the Surface”
How well do you really see what’s happening around you?
Not just what’s obvious—but what God is doing beneath the surface?
Isaiah 53 gives us one of the clearest and most powerful pictures of Christ in all of Scripture—written nearly 500 years before Jesus was born. It describes both His suffering and the purpose behind it. But it begins in a surprising way:
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain… we held him in low esteem.” (Isaiah 53:2–3)
Think about that for a moment.
There was nothing outwardly impressive about Jesus. Nothing that made people naturally stop and say, “This is the One.”In fact, many turned away from Him. They dismissed Him. They missed Him entirely.
Why?
Because they were only seeing the surface.
And if we’re honest, we can do the same thing.
Life moves fast. We’re constantly pulled in different directions—notifications, responsibilities, conversations, decisions. With so much competing for our attention, it’s easy to become what you might call “surface dwellers”—people who only notice what’s obvious and immediate.
But we’re invited to live differently.
Scripture calls us to something deeper:
“Fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
The people in Jesus’ day missed the Eternal One standing right in front of them because they were only looking with natural eyes.
We don’t want to make that same mistake.
The Holy Spirit has been given to us so we can see beyond the surface—so we can recognize God’s activity in our lives and in the people around us.
So how do we grow in that kind of vision?
It starts with learning to be present.
- Be present to God — Spend unhurried, consistent time in His Word and in prayer.
- Be present to yourself — Pause long enough to notice what’s going on in your own heart.
- Be present to others — Slow down and truly listen, instead of rushing past people.
- Be present to your community — Look for where God is already at work, and join Him there.
This kind of attentiveness doesn’t happen accidentally. It’s cultivated—one moment at a time.
And as it grows, so does our ability to see what really matters.
Father, open our eyes.
Help us to see life from Your perspective—and to recognize what You are doing all around us.
With you,
~ Coach Tom
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P.S. ... If you are stalled in life, or particularly if you are in transition, here are three ways I can help you Get Clear, Get Focused and Be Fruitful!
1. Grab a Free Copy of my "4 Key Steps to Clarity and Fruitfulness" Document. It's a Blueprint to help you move ahead. Click Here
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