Walking by Faith Not by Sight
Janet Perez Eckles
What joy, the plane landed a bit earlier in Quito, Ecuador. My friend would be waiting for me and we’d be on our way to our week of ministering to those affected by the earthquake.
The airport employee who guided me out of the plane grabbed my bags and led me toward the exit of the airport. Then he asked, “What does the friend who’s picking you up look like?”
I leaned on my white cane and gave a silly grin. Although I met her during her visit to the states, being blind, I had no clue what she looked like.
“Don’t worry,” I said, “she’ll recognize me and we’ll be on our way.”
We waited. And we waited. No friend. Then logic filed in my head. What if, since I’ve been traveling so much, I ended up in the wrong country, or arrived on the wrong date.
“This is Ecuador, isn’t it?” I asked, sort of joking.
Whew! He said it was. At least it was the correct country. But with no one there to meet me, I had to decide what to do. I couldn’t use my cell phone; it had no service in a foreign country.
Here’s when we have the choice—whether we allow fear to rule us or faith empower us.
I chose the latter because of this test I gave myself. And I invite you to take it too:
- Is God aware of our every glitch?
- Is He faithful when we encounter unexpected circumstances?
- Is His faithfulness active even when we fail?
- Does His answer come in ways we never predicted?
- Is His protection available no matter where we are?
- Does He warn what to do about fear, worry and anxiety?
- Can I rest, knowing His hand is upon me no matter if I’m blind, deaf or crippled?
King David might have taken this test because he declared: ”The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)
I passed the test, then gathered my suitcases around me, plopped in a chair near the exit and relaxed while I waited. If you also answer “yes” to all of the above, you’re on the way to a life of faith. And if you recognize His promises as you answered the questions, you’ve arrived at a place where faith rules, where peace reigns, where your steps are firm. And best of all, even when circumstances don’t change, your heart is secure, your thoughts are calm and His answer is sure to come.
And my answer indeed came. My friend had received wrong information from the airline, telling her the plane was delayed for three hours. Eventually she sent someone to pick me up from the airport. And although I didn’t know this person, I still trusted—not so much in her as she was a stranger, but I trusted in god who is truly trustworthy.
How about you? Are you at a place strangely painful? What does the test reveal about your fear, about your faith?
Janet
Source: Simple quiz to see how you handle fear. | Janet Perez Eckles
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This message from a friend took my breath away. She was recently diagnosed with last stages of leukemia. And she writes: “My heart has been blessed. My mind is at peace, my direction for ministry is more clear. God heard and is answering. Thank you. I do have a spirit of joy and peace. Even laughter! I smile thinking I get to go to Heaven first. I’ve always loved winning a race. Ha! I’ll beat you there! In reality, I’m not giving up and I am trusting for a miraculous healing and that God will continue to teach me lessons I can share with the world. What a thrill it is to be a servant of the King!” After reading this note from her, I reflected on my reaction should a doctor tell me I only have a few months to live. How about you? How would you react? |
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