For we walk by faith, not by sight
2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV
If I've said it once before, I've said it a hundred times. It's easy to live by faith and walk by faith when everything around you is aligning with that faith, when all things are going according to plan, and life looks like it's going to turn out the way you've been believing. But when times are tough and the way is rough and nothing seems to go right, living by faith is not always the easiest thing to do.
When the storm is raging, the battle fierce, the night grown dark and foul. When the hand of every man is against us, and our hand against every man. When we are bruised and battered and badgered, besieged on the right hand and on the left. When we are pursued without escape, pressured without relief, struck down and kicked around. When we cry and pray every night and every day, and yet no answer will come. When our sight is blinded by blood, sweat and tears. When our heart is breaking into a thousand separate pieces. When our guts are wrenched by the pain and agony of our own personal suffering. When failure seems to be our constant companion, and success the dream that flees when we wake. When it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders alone, and there is no help within reach.
It's easy to get our eyes on our surroundings, our circumstances, our difficult situations and our failing selves. And when we do, we begin to feel like there will never be an end...unless we give up. Unless we surrender to the darkness, wave our white flag in the face of adversity. Then it will be over and we can die in peace.
But the Bible says don't do it! Don't look at your setting; look to the Savior. Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is where you will find the courage and the strength to carry on. He is where you will find the hope to believe in what you have been promised, and to trust in the one who promised it to you. He is where you will find the faith to persevere.
Whenever I find myself in difficult circumstances, I like to turn my thoughts to those men and women of faith who have gone before, to see how they handled themselves.
Abraham left everything behind to follow the high call of God, received promises of an heir and an inheritance, and looked beyond this life to a city that has foundation, whose builder and maker is God. It was only when he took his eyes off God and started trying to figure things out for himself that he got in trouble.
Moses had nothing but a stick and a commission, but he spoke with the authority of the Great I AM and followed through on everything he said. It was only when he took his eyes off God to strike the rock instead of speak in faith that he got in trouble.
Gideon could see nothing but his own short stature, his own insignificance, his own inabilities, his own inadequacies, but God saw something more. And when Gideon decided an army of thousands was just what he needed, God made him fight with just 300 men armed with bugles and flashlights. He saw what God could do.
David looked past a giant to see his God and won the victory.
A widow woman looked past the empty jars of meal and oil to see her God, feed a prophet and receive more than enough for as long as she needed it.
Elijah looked past the 850-to-1 odds to see his God and started a revolution.
Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego looked past the flames of death to see their God and find life in the presence of their Lord.
Daniel looked past the hungry lions to see his God and a night of sweet deliverance.
Philip had his eyes on five tuna fish sandwiches and a hungry crowd of thousands, when he was standing next to the provider of all things.
Peter had his eyes on the waves when he was walking on the water with the master of the wind.
Martha had her eyes on the impossibilities of death and the grave when the Lord of life spoke and said, "roll back the stone."
The disciples were crippled with grief and despair by the finality of the cross, but they forgot what Jesus had said. Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up!
As one preacher said, "You can't go by what you see; you gotta go by what you know!"
Walk by faith, not by sight. Reality is not what you see around you, but what is happening in you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path!
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