“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)
“Don’t move, or you will go blind in your right eye…” These unexpected words from my doctor hit my ears like a ton of bricks as I gripped the arms of the chair with sweaty palms and a heart rate that was racing at 100 mph. While I sat there numb, a sense of shock started to overwhelm me as my flesh began to war with my spirit. Prayers for strength rose from the inside as I heard the prognosis: retinal detachment and immediate in-office surgery. To make matters worse for someone with needle phobia, the procedure would take place while I was wide awake! How did this happen? What I had pictured as a routine office appointment turned out much differently than anticipated. Life has a way of throwing curve balls of unknowns from multiple directions. One minute, everything makes sense. Life seems to be smooth, and laughter abounds. The next, terrifying words send fear down the spine. Which begs the question: How do we trust God when circumstances look dark and daunting?
Activating trust through eyes of faith is pivotal in combating fear. Whether each of us can relate to feeling fear as a parent, a scary diagnosis, a traumatic phone call, a sudden life shift, a broken relationship, or all of the above, faith must rise up on the inside and carry us through the impossible. One way of increasing our trust is to shift our perspective on the power of God’s ability to handle the circumstances that are outside of our control. No matter what we may be facing today, Friend, God is already there. How freeing to know that He has gone before and behind us and prepared the way in advance! Although we may feel like we are going through a dark tunnel, we have to trust that God is there leading us through to the other side of difficult circumstances, and that He can bring clarity to our vision, even when it seems limited in the season of life that we are currently experiencing.
Focusing on truths found in Scripture can embolden us to keep moving forward in faith. Hardships have a way of making Scripture become even more alive and personal. As we hold on to promises in His Word that apply to our particular situation, we can receive revelation and hope. This truth came alive to me on a personal level when the air bubble had been inserted to reattach my retina, causing my vision to be completely black on the right side. Three months later, the bubble disappeared, and my eyesight was restored. Throughout this unnerving time, 2 Corinthians 5:7 brought strength and comfort and deepened my understanding of this verse. I realized that even though that bubble caused me to see complete darkness, it was working to help restore my vision. Walking by faith and not by sight was a spiritual epiphany that God revealed to bring encouragement for those facing anxiety and uncertainty. When our physical and spiritual vision is limited, the Heavenly Father is working behind-the-scenes to accomplish His purposes, even while we cannot immediately see the end result.
Let’s encourage each other to keep trusting God with eyes of faith. Whatever circumstance you are walking though today as a mom, whether it is walking by faith for a child or a personal circumstance that has shaken you to the point of feeling fear and anxiety, know that God is there. When the Creator of the universe asks us to step outside of our comfort zone into unfamiliar situations, the process is really about surrendering to His lordship, plans, timing, and ways. Both surrender and trust go hand-in-hand. As we take faithful steps of obedience, each puzzle piece, even the challenging ones, will be used to form the beautiful picture of what God is accomplishing. One day, we will look back and say, “Aha! This is how God worked my circumstances for my growth and His glory!”
Father, Thank you that even when I can’t see with my natural eyes how things are coming together, You are supernaturally working behind the scenes to put all the pieces together in my life. I trust that Your ways are higher than mine and that I will see the beautiful plans that You are working for my good and Your glory, Amen.
Have you ever struggled to trust God when you couldn’t fully see through the challenging circumstances that you are currently facing?
Three main points:
-Trust God through the eyes of faith when circumstances look dark and uncertain.
-Focusing on the power of God over every situation and believing His unconditional love for you is key in combating fear of the unknown.
-God is able to work behind the scenes in our personal challenges even when we can’t fully see what He is doing with our natural eyes.
Your fellow Able Mom,
Liz
Connect with Liz:
FB: @LizPitmanAuthor
IG:@LizPitmanAuthor
Website: petethepuzzlepiece.com
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