Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1

How do we walk by faith and not by sight?

Are we only able to do so when our faith is big enough? Not so, for faith as small as a mustard seed is able to move mountains (Luke 17:6). Jesus used the mustard seed as an analogy, because even though it was a tiny seed, it could eventually grow to become a large tree (Luke 13:18-19).

Ultimately, the strength of our faith is not determined by the size of our faith, but by the size of our Almighty God and the strength of our relationship with Him.

In the same way that we find it difficult to trust strangers, or acquaintances whom we do not have a personal relationship with, we will not be able to trust the Lord if we do not take the time to know His heart for us. This is why Apostle Paul says that faith comes, not from seeing, but from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. When we are familiar with His word, we will have a clearer picture of God's character and love for us. When we know Him more, we begin to trust Him more on a personal level.

In Exodus, the Israelites saw many signs and wonders, including the ten plagues that God used to bring them out of Egypt, and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. Why were they still unbelieving in their hearts, after witnessing God's power first-hand, choosing instead to worship a golden calf? The Israelites did not have faith because their understanding of God was a superficial one - based on what they could see at a given moment in time. The moment they lost sight of God, their faith crumbled.

Faith is not blind or ignorant belief without proof or evidence. Instead, it is complete trust in the One who has proven Himself to be faithful, time and time again. Our reality is no longer just shaped by what we see, but by our relationship with the Almighty God who knows our thoughts and ways intimately.

When we walk with the Lord, believing is seeing!