Safe Haven

“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
(2 Corinthians 3:16–18)

“But when ONE turns to the Lord, the veil is lifted.”
These verses have continually wrecked me in so many ways.

First, as followers of Jesus, we are called to a lifestyle of repentance. Repentance is not a one-time act; it is an ongoing posture of surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit. We no longer identify as sinners—we are children of God—yet we still sin. We were once enemies of God, but we have been brought near by the blood of Jesus. Hallelujah.

Repentance is the gift of turning to the Lord and being made right with Him through the blood of Jesus. Every time we repent, the veils on our hearts are lifted, allowing us to see Him rightly—and to respond rightly. There is so much freedom in this. We are invited to walk in lives and works worthy of repentance (Acts 26:20).

Secondly, as we behold the fullness of who He is, we are empowered to become the fullness of who He created us to be. We are transformed into His likeness, brought back to our original design—just as it was in the Garden of Eden. Nothing we walk through is wasted. God uses it all to transform us for our good and for His glory.

When we behold Him, we find rest—not only in who He is, but in who He has made us to be. That rest is deeply freeing. We are our truest selves when we are at rest in Him.

Lastly, this transformation happens by the leadership of the Spirit. Not by power or might, but by yielding to His prompting. The pressure is off. We don’t have to have everything figured out—just a heart of surrender and humility that says yes. As we work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12–13), the fruit of the Spirit becomes increasingly evident in our lives. It is a beautiful partnership with the Spirit of God dwelling within us.

When I read this passage, I see a bride standing before her groom at the altar, her wedding veil draped over her face. The Groom—Jesus—gently lifts the veil, revealing Himself fully to her, and her fully to Him. Eye to eye. Face to face. In that moment, nothing else matters. Fully present. Fully known.

Every time we come before Him in surrender, He lifts the veil—so we may see Him rightly. All because of love.

There is so much more that could be unpacked here, but I encourage you to invite the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and revelation as you sit with this passage. Seek His face—it is the most beautiful pursuit.

He has the brightest eyes and the kindest smile