Eyes of Faith

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” 

 –  Romans 15:13 ESV

The strength to persevere is not our own and it is the darkest places of defeat that we can see where strength truly comes from. There have times in my life when I was not only down, but out for the count. I can relate to having nothing and losing everything. It was in these places that I knew I had nothing to pull myself up with. Can you relate? Do you feel like you have been alone and abandoned, or lost never to be found? Have you burned so many bridges that you see know out? 

I know the hopeless places that we can find ourselves in, in this world. I am well aware of the choices that back us into dark corners, but I am always keenly aware that there is HOPE! 

  Perspective is defined as, “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.”  The view we have, our perspective can be the difference in the dark. I call this faith, and Jesus tells us we only need little faith, as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).  This faith becomes our sight, and what we see is the One who helps, strengthens, and equips us to become over-comers. What have I overcome, you might wonder? Well, I know what it is like to have nothing, and what it is like to lose even more. I have had my share of loneliness, fear, dysfunction, sadness, grief, failure, pain, sin, regret, shame,, despair and I could go on and on. Through it, all HOPE was calling! Jesus was calling! I only needed to see.

In a world where we all find these same pains, where do look for help, for Hope? What is your perspective, your view in those dark places? It is seeing through faith where we find our assurances. Hebrew 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” 

If we know the saving grace of God, then we know Who it is that supplies and satisfies our needs. Our needs go deeper than we know and there is only one who can satisfy. This amazing provision is something we can experience every day, but we must be looking in the right direction. We must be looking through the eyes of faith! When we look to find satisfaction in this world, we will find ourselves at some point disappointed, and still in need. Our true fulfillment and completeness is found only in Jesus, because of Jesus, and is lived out daily with Jesus. We can recognize and see with new perspectives the goodness of God that will not only satisfy but overflow.

For me, this was a change of focus. I used to look to my environment and others around me to satisfy my greatest need of comfort and love. I had a fear of being alone and unloved. This ran deep and controlled how I lived my life. I was not whole or happy, only afraid, and paralyzed. But, Jesus changed everything. He showed me that my identity and my happiness was not dependent on anything in this world. Nothing in this world,  a little or a lot, could bandage up my pains or satisfy my longings. It was only seeing and knowing the Truth, Jesus is Everything! He provides abundantly!

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”    

Matthew 6:33 MSG

Blessings, Anne Blanchette