Not By Sight

I gripped my steering wheel and pushed myself back into my seat. The squeak of my windshield wipers was becoming more frequent. As I cranked up their speed, my speedometer dipped lower. The rain wasn't heavy, but it was blowing enough to hamper my ability to see the road. Someone in a car behind me grew frustrated and soon passed me. I just hung onto the steering wheel and prayed. That was a time I guess you could say I had to drive by faith, not by sight, because I couldn't really see.

"We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 I think I often connected that verse with "big" or "important" events in my life. But today I realized, every time I turn around there is another opportunity to choose to live by faith, not by sight. An opportunity to choose to trust God when I don't feel like things are right. Would you care to take a stroll with me through my day?


Wednesday January 3, 2007

8 am: The minute my alarm goes off, I'm scrolling through my mental checklist for the day. I rub my eyes. Can I get it all done? Do I want to get it all done?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

11 am: I'm reading the weather forecast at work, but my mind is somewhere else, occupied with details of scholarships to be filled out, essays I have to write, all the extra paraphernalia to include, the deadlines approaching like an avalanche, and the likelihood of actually receiving them. Is that a head-ache I feel coming on?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

12 pm: Time to grab a bite to eat. Yikes, how am I ever going to get rid of these extra Christmas pounds I gained over vacation. Will I ever learn to be balanced?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

1 pm: Speaking of balance, it's time to balance the checkbook. Numbers, numbers. How do they disappear so fast? Will I have enough to pay for school? What about this time next year? Will there be enough?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

1:30 pm: I sit in the business office of the college. My vision blurs a little as a woman searches the records for a scholarship that seems to have sprouted legs and run away. I'm glad you don't need scholarships to get into heaven.

"We live by faith, not by sight."

1:45 pm: Can books really cost that much?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

2:30 pm: I look for things to put into scholarship packets, but can't find a whole lot. Will they even take a second look at my application?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

3:00 pm: I'm tired and ready for a nap, but sit down to catch up on some things before a meeting at 3:30. Will life always wear me out?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

3:45 pm: I add another mark to my calendar, which is growing black with scribbles from my pen. Will I be able to juggle this schedule?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

8:15 pm: Work is over and the day is drawing to a close. I can think of several things I shouldn't have said, and twice as many thoughts I should not have entertained. Will I ever get it right?

"We live by faith, not by sight."

8:20 pm: I sit still and listen to one of my favorite songs. I take a deep breath, and I remember that God is the blessed controller of all things.

"We live by faith, not by sight."


God, help me recognize the stresses of this life as opportunities to grow my trust in you. Help me recognize the choice and choose to walk by faith. Thank you that you are trustworthy.


"Therefore we do not lose heart. Thought outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18