Father, my heart longed for You,
My soul thirsted for You,
How did I hunger for what I had not seen?
Focus of the Month: “A Beautiful Reflection”
My husband called from his recent Optometrist appointment, letting me know the doctor had dilated his eyes, and he was on his way home. I thought, “Should he be driving? Some symptoms of eye dilation are: light sensitivity, blurry vision, and trouble focusing. All of these have the power to impair driving. Yet, because he has a history of making good decisions and he assured me that he was safe to drive, I chose to believe him.
Every choice we make requires us to believe one thing over another. Generally our experiences can dictate our beliefs – but not always. Some beliefs are more vital, and for that reason we may feel the need to dig deeper into the “why” we believe what we believe.
Putting my faith in Jesus is one of those beliefs that wasn’t as easy as I hoped it would be. I could say with ease, “I believe in God.” But this didn’t hold the significance of truly putting my trust and hope in Jesus. I have never “seen” Jesus with my own eyes. I wasn’t on earth when he walked to see Him teach or see Him heal. Yet I came to believe. How?
Believing He is the Messiah, the living water, the Savior of the world is to believe without seeing. This requires complete trust on my part. Something I am not sure I can explain in words. I choose to believe in Jesus Christ, and in this I choose to love God with my entire heart, mind, soul and strength. Without seeing, without full understanding, a belief based on a yearning that is indescribable. A desire that makes its home in the very root of my soul. I have come to know this feeling as Faith.
Scriptures tell us that faith is the evidence of things we cannot see. That without faith we can not please God because to be able to draw close to Him means we must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Our reward is eternal life in heaven with Him. When asked, “How do you believe who Jesus is without really knowing Him and physically seeing Him?”
I have only one answer: God’s Word tells me who He is, and I believe it.
Maybe that isn’t the answer you were hoping for? Maybe you are searching for more evidence or proof? You will never experience this proof, this seeing, without first believing. God is working all around you, He is in all of creation. He alone opens our eyes. Are you ready? To believe? To see? Is there a craving inside you that cannot be quenched?
Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”
We don’t need to trouble ourselves with what we don’t know or don’t see!
He proclaims, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Are you fully aware of this truth? Are you hoping for another option? If you are, then you are believing for something that will never fill you, will never free you and will never save you. I urge you to sink into scripture, ask God for help. He will reveal Himself to you!
My husband made it home safely that day. And gratefully, his vision was back to normal within a few hours. How long will you wait for your chance for clear vision? Will your life be too sensitive to the light of Christ that you can’t believe Him? Will your vision be skewed so you can’t accept Him? Will your focus be on “seeing” rather than believing? Don’t lose hope. Simply ask Him. Jesus said to Thomas, His disciple,
“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen an yet have believed.”
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: Romans 10:9-19; Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:6; John 14:1; John 14:6; John 20:29
