Let’s be honest—we all have things we don’t see clearly. Maybe it’s something in our personality. Maybe it’s how we react to people. Maybe it’s how we see the world around us. Jesus called them planks in our eyes, and most of the time, we don’t even know they’re there. That’s what we mean when we talk about spiritual blind spots.
The truth is, you and I can be walking around thinking we’ve got everything together, but if we’re not careful, we’ll miss the very things in ourselves that need God’s correction. And when we’re blind to our own issues, we tend to focus a little too much on everyone else’s.
Sound familiar?
What Is a Spiritual Blind Spot?
A spiritual blind spot is something in your life—your attitude, your behavior, your perspective—that you can’t see clearly but that’s affecting your walk with God and your relationships with people.
It might be a critical spirit.
It could be a judgmental attitude.
Maybe it’s bitterness you’ve justified for years.
Or a way of thinking that you picked up from your upbringing, your culture, or your past that doesn’t line up with the heart of Christ.
Whatever it is, the problem isn’t just that it’s there—it’s that we can’t see it.
Jesus said in Luke 6:41-42:
“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?”
In other words, we’re really good at seeing their issue, but we miss our own. We point fingers instead of pulling out the mirror.
Blind Spots Affect How We See People
Jesus used humor to make a serious point: you can’t help someone else with a speck in their eye when you’ve got a 2×4 sticking out of your own. Not only is it painful—it’s dangerous. That kind of distorted vision doesn’t just keep us from seeing others clearly. It keeps us from loving them well.
Think about it: have you ever made a snap judgment about someone based on how they looked, talked, or even what they posted on social media? Yeah… me too. But what if that reaction wasn’t about them at all? What if it was a reflection of something we haven’t dealt with inside ourselves?
Spiritual blind spots cause us to lean into criticism instead of compassion. They make us harsh where God wants us to be gracious. And they can keep us from being the kind of person others feel safe around.
So… How Do You Find a Blind Spot?
Good question. Here are a few ways to start clearing up your spiritual vision:
1. Ask God to Show You
Sometimes the only way we can see clearly is to invite the Holy Spirit to shine a light on our hearts. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me.” (Psalm 139:23–24) That’s a brave prayer—but it’s where clarity starts.
2. Listen When Others Speak Truth
Have you ever had someone gently (or not-so-gently) point something out in you that you didn’t want to hear? Don’t ignore that. God often uses the people around us to help reveal what we can’t see ourselves.
3. Look at How You Treat People
If you find yourself constantly annoyed, impatient, or critical of others—especially people who are different from you—pause and ask, “What’s really going on in me?” Often, our reactions to people say more about us than them.
4. Get Close to Jesus
The more time you spend with Jesus—listening to His Word, worshiping, just being with Him—the more your spiritual vision gets adjusted. The closer we are to the Light, the more clearly we can see.
Don’t Just Shut the Blinds—Clean the Window
There’s a story I shared recently that fits here. A man was watching TV and looked up at his window. He thought, That’s the dirtiest window I’ve ever seen. It was bothering him so much, he finally got up—but instead of cleaning the window, he just shut the blinds.
Sometimes, that’s what we do spiritually. We get annoyed by the way we’re seeing life, people, even God—but instead of dealing with our spiritual blind spots, we close the blinds. We ignore it. We pretend it’s fine.
But Jesus didn’t say “Shut the blinds.” He said, “Remove the plank.”
Grace Is Waiting on the Other Side
Here’s the good news: Jesus doesn’t expose blind spots to shame us—He does it to heal us. He wants us to see clearly so we can love deeply. When we let Him deal with what’s in our hearts, He gives us new vision, fresh grace, and a whole new way of seeing people—not through criticism, but through compassion.
So, do you have spiritual blind spots? Probably. We all do.
But you don’t have to stay stuck with them. Invite God to clean the window, remove the plank, and give you His eyes to see.
Because when your vision gets clear, so does your mission: to love others the way Jesus loved you.
Want to learn more about spiritual blind spots? Listen to Pastor Campbell’s sermon about this topic: How to Love Difficult People Like Jesus Did
