The seven churches in Revelation were shocked by Jesus's assessment of their spiritual condition

Mike highlights the case of the Laodicean church (Revelation 3:17) as a prime example: they did not know they were 'poor, miserable, blind, naked.' He generalizes this as a pastoral observation — he has repeatedly encountered people in counseling who have a 'distorted view of themselves' and cannot see their own situation clearly. This is a recurring pastoral challenge.