Walking by faith

I’m sure most of us will experience times when we feel confused or conflicted as we do our best to live out a life of faith in a faithless world. We might find ourselves feeling despondent at what we see. That’s when we must remember, we who believe walk by faith not by sight.

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:6,7

This is often seen as a command to do something we are currently not doing, or an encouragement to take a crazy risk which doesn’t make practical sense. But I don’t believe that is the true meaning of the verse.

Our walk is the way we live our lives and the choices we make each day, both big and small. Our decisions are made as a result of what controls us. Those things could be money, position, possessions, pride, a sense of duty and many other things.

As Christians, we have become citizens of the kingdom of heaven, where one day we will live and will see with our own eyes. For now, we live in faith of that truth, until one day our faith in God will be replaced with the reality of seeing him face to face. So the decisions we now make are kingdom based. This is not blind faith, it’s focussed faith as we seek to walk in a way which pleases the ruler of the kingdom to which we now belong.

We must not live our lives to only appease this earthly kingdom. This will only cause conflict to us but often the decisions made will displease God.

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. – 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

Our aim is to live for God alone. When we hold to one master, things are clear.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. – Matthew 6:24

To walk by faith is to trust God at all times and living with eternity in mind. There will be times when we will need to choose God’s way rather than the way of this world. When we walk in line with heaven, then we walk by faith and it is pleasing to God.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6

We are now living in the realm of faith, where we do not see God face to face and yet we believe. Jesus promised a blessing for all those who believe without seeing.

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:29

We are blessed if we keep walking by faith and we are also protected. All of the things which attack us in this world cannot touch what God has in store for us.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:6-9

As Christians, we are already walking by faith, we are blessed because we live this life of belief without sight. The trials we face only serve to prove the genuineness of our faith. Our treasure and focus is not here below, but it is very real. One day we will have the joy of exchanging our faith for sight, until then He keeps us and protects all we have in Him. So we say with the hymn writer.

‘O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;

even so, it is well with my soul.