“Those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.”

—ACTS 22:19

The apostle Paul described what is arguably the most amazing conversion story in all of Christian history: “As I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime”—heading out on mission to round up Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners—“a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” (Acts 22:6-7).

That’s how a man feared by the early followers of Jesus because of his brutal hatred for their beliefs became their most prominent evangelist, defender, and writer of half the books in the New Testament. His passions changed, his heart changed, his mission changed, even his name changed. Nothing was ever the same again for Paul after he was blinded by that light from heaven on the road to Damascus.

But not everyone who witnessed those eye-popping moments was impacted the same way. Others who were traveling with him said they saw the light, heard a noise, knew that something strange was happening, but they couldn’t make out the sound as actual words. What’s more, since the brightness of the light rendered Paul unable to see, he needed to be “led by the hand by those who were with me” (v. 11)—companions of his who obviously still could see, despite having seen the same light that Paul did.

What a tragedy to see the light but not be changed by it.

Blinded by it.

An encounter with God is meant to change us. To stagger us. To blind us to old pursuits, interests, ambitions, and fleshly desires, while miraculously opening our internal vision to eternal pursuits. What a waste to simply get up and go back to our normal habits after being in His presence and sensing the exhilaration of His nearness—after powerful moments in His Word, in prayer, in places where He’s made His way so plain to us. When His light shines and His voice speaks on this road, it should alter our experience, our choices, and our direction on the road ahead.

Don’t settle for being someone who only sees the light but then keeps walking in the same direction and with the same vision as before. Be blinded to whatever has dulled your spiritual passion or led you down side roads that are taking you away from your calling. Look and be transformed. And turn a blind eye to everything else.

We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
—2 Corinthians 3:18