(from Streams of Living Water for a Thirsty Soul)
“…we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
The Christian life is a walk of faith from beginning to end. We didn’t have the privilege of seeing (with our physical eyes) the risen Jesus before we believed and accepted Him, as Thomas did (John 20:24-28). Thomas’ belief in Jesus came by sight. Ours comes through faith (believing without seeing). Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who have not seen and yet have believed (v. 29). As we walk with God, our testimony becomes, “We have known and believed the love God hath for us” (1 John 4:16).
Walking by faith is easy when all is going well and we’re feeling close to God. Perhaps it’s because we can “see” God working in our situation. And we can “feel” His love for us. Does this kind of walk really take faith?
The walk requiring faith is one of difficulties and wilderness experiences, when we can’t “see” God working nor “feel” His love. We want to cry out as Jesus did, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46, NIV). We feel as the Psalmist did when he said, “Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?” (Psalm 77:9).
How do we walk by faith in hard situations? We have to set our will and determine nothing will move us away from our belief in God (Isaiah 50:7). We have to reaffirm our faith in God again and again (Psalm 77:10-14), reminding ourselves of His faithfulness (Psalm 89:1). We have to choose to believe and to trust God (Psalm 37:5).
PRAYER: Lord God, in these hard times when I can’t see the way nor feel Your love for me, help me to trust You and to walk by sheer faith in You.
Related verses: Psalm 62:6, 119:89-90; Lamentations 3:22-26; Mark 9:23-24; Luke 17:5; Romans 1:17; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Peter 1:8
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