Walking by FAITH not by SIGHT

A poem by Ruth A. Morgan . . .

Sometimes I'm sad. I know not why
My heart is sore distressed;
It seems the burdens of this world
Have settled on my heart.
And yet I know...I know that God
Who doeth all things right
Will lead me thus to understand
To walk by FAITH...not SIGHT.
And though I may not see the way
He's planned for me to go...
That way seems dark to me just now
But oh, I'm sure He knows!
Today He guides my feeble step
Tomorrow's in His right...
He has asked me to never fear...
But walk by FAITH...not SIGHT.
Someday the mists will roll away,
The sun will shine again.
I'll see the beauty in the flowers.
I'll hear the bird's refrain.
And then I'll know my Father's hand
Has led the way to light
Because I placed my hand in His
And walked by FAITH...not SIGHT.
                   -Ruth A. Morgan

Do you ever catch yourself walking by sight and not by faith? These past two weeks have been very stressful for me and in these difficult moments I find it easy to look around and "see", with these "human eyes" of mine, all of the circumstances surrounding me - forgetting to look through my "eyes of faith". I watch the struggle, the rebellion, and the hurt of those close to me and it is easy to get caught up in the crisis/moment - trying to help, to ease the pain, to give support and guidance and seeing beyond the outer image to the heart and soul of what is really going on beneath the surface. At these times, when I am frustrated, when I receive an alarming telephone call at 2:30 in the morning like last week, or when I feel the blunt edge of total rebellion - at these disheartening times, I am reminded that faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." -2 Corinthians 5:7. It is this that keeps me going, that gives me strength to carry on, to reach out and trust that God is at work in each of our hearts and lives - even when we seem to see no progress, no relief, and satan would like us to feel total defeat. It's then that I realize once again that God gives the strength to "press on". He gives us the understanding and the love to put our circumstances into His perspective.

I was sharing with someone this past week and they made a statement that hit me full force. They said that "God loves my children far more than I do" - I know that in my heart but do I really comprehend the extent of God’s love for them in my head? Or do I look at them through my "sight" and not my "faith"? These past two weeks have brought one major incident after another to my attention - definitely putting my faith to the test.


There have been times I have felt like the person standing on the highway flagging people down to tell them, STOP! - the bridge is out ahead. And as I stand there some cars slow down and take heed but some speed on by only to drive off of the road into the ravine that was once spanned by the bridge. Unwilling to stop and find out what danger lies ahead, they continue on their own to the destination they are embarking upon. Unwilling to listen and take heed of the danger signs, the warnings, the futile attempts of those standing on the highway frantically trying to stop them. Only to realize, many times after it is too late to stop, that their destination will be cut short or altered by the ever present danger ahead of them. Why don’t they stop and take heed? I don’t know . . . but God see’s the whole picture – I see only what my physical eyes can see! And sometimes it scares me. It’s at this time that those words echo in my head and deeper into my heart . . . “Diana, God loves your children far more than you do”!!!  Oh, that I would never forget that.

2 Corinthians 5:7, is my prayer today – “to walk by faith . . . not by sight”. The Message version says, “It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.”  To truly trust God and His "fathomless love"  (fathomless means . . . too deep to fathom or understand!)  WOW!  So, to walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT is to truly trust God and His “fathomless love” to reach out and touch, give guidance, influence, direction, and “love” in ways I, as a mere mother, cannot!

So today, I’m placing my hand in His and going to walk by FAITH...and not by SIGHT. God's love is fathomless!