Trusting in the Dark
by Lynne Bauman
“For we live by faith, not by sight.”2 Corinthians 5:7
That verse has been a constant theme for me over the last several months. Our journey comes down to one thing … our faith in who He is and who we are in Him.Faith seems so counter-cultural in a world where we want to see and feel everything. We want to see proof before we sign on the dotted line.God’s Kingdom is the complete opposite. His Kingdom is one where there is an expectation of trust and belief even when we cannot see.I was reminded of this very truth a few weeks ago. Back in February, I purchased an all-in-one planter of lily bulbs. Everything was included from the planter, the soil and 6 bulbs. The wrapped planter sat in my garage till about the end of April. One reason it sat there for so long was that I had completely forgotten about it. The other reason was that the outside temperature was still too cold.When the temperature finally started to warm up, I set about to plant the bulbs. I opened the package and much to my surprise, the bulbs had already begun to grow! The bulbs, while still in their packaging, held up in the darkness of the planter, had begun to grow.My next thought was, isn’t the same true for us, in our own spiritual walks with God? It’s in those dark, hidden places, when we don’t see our circumstances changing, the obstacles in our path aren’t moving or we don’t seem to be growing as fast as we’d like to be in a certain area, that God is there and He is at work. This is where we are called to walk by faith and not by what we see or feel. Our faith needs to be anchored to the One who holds our lives in His very hands.This could not be more fitting for the challenging times we find ourselves in as a nation, battling a pandemic. So much threatens to discourage us and weigh us down. And yet, we can be encouraged to walk by faith and not by what we hear, see or feel. We can trust that in moments of darkness God is still on His throne, He is still sovereign over all and He is still doing a work within us, even though we may not be able to see it quite yet.It is in those moments where we may feel “hidden” - being quarantined, isolated from family and friends, where we can be encouraged to strengthen our roots to grow down even deeper in our faith in God. Be challenged to trust in His Word and in His character in greater ways. Could God be about an even greater work within us in those hidden, dark places, shaping our hearts to sing “It is well” even when our circumstances may say otherwise? For this shift to happen, we need to press into the heart of God like never before and walk by faith and not by sight.
As you draw near to God in these challenging times, I pray your heart is strengthened as you walk by faith and not by sight. May your hope be anchored in Him.
Lynne Bauman is a wife, mother of two adult children, author and Pastor of Women at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, Connecticut. She is passionate about encouraging women to know who they are in Christ and to walk in the freedom that is theirs in Him. She counts it a joy and a privilege to walk alongside them and to share in their journeys as they grow in God.Her blog is www.howgoodisatimelyword.wordpress.com and her book can be found online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Westbow Press.