“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
A little over a year ago, I wrote a note to myself, my steps are ordered by the Lord. I was laying in my bed writing these words after calling off a mission trip to Honduras because of another miscarriage. I was laying there with tears running down the sides of my face as I sang about the goodness of God. I knew that would make Satan mad at the time, and I wasn’t about to let him think he had won. The God I serve is faithful, He is for me, and at a dead-end situation, I had hope in the valley. I asked God to heal my broken heart, I placed the number of children we had in His hands, and I asked God to open the door again for South America.
During worship yesterday, I felt God leading me to encourage, not only the congregation of our church, but myself, “for we walk by faith and not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Moses came to a dead end in the desert, an impossible situation, a sea of water ahead and an enemy chasing behind. If Moses were walking by sight, he would have seen a hopeless situation, but he chose to walk in faith, even when the people around him panicked at the sight of a dead-end. Moses knew that if God called them out of Egypt into the Promised Land, then that is where they would go. Even if the road getting there wasn’t always easy. When we walk in faith, our posture, our stance and our everything is to trust HIS plan. When the people saw a big dead end, Moses saw a bigger God. The mighty miracle of a red sea parting happened and the Israelites walked victoriously towards their Promised Land.
A year ago, my eyes saw a dead end and a broken hope, but my faith saw a different story. My faith said, stand still today and go tomorrow. Brokenness happens to all of us, but if we walk by sight, our eyes can manipulate us, stir-up anxiety and doubt while giving the enemy an ear to whisper in, “see, God won’t do what He said He will do.” Walking in a faithful brokenness is saying, God WILL do what He says HE will do, because my steps are ordered by the Lord, and whatever His will, I will say yes. When life shows us dead ends, our faith is the tool that keeps us walking in confidence for the glory set before us. Pastor Bill Johnson said that when we go through valleys, this is the only time in our existence we get to glorify God when it doesn’t feel good, even the angels can’t do that. A step in faith is to be still, trust, listen, and follow His lead. When plans change, when things don’t go our expected way, be still, trust, listen and then follow. When a dead sea is suddenly roaring its vast waves in your face and you don’t know what to do, stand still, trust, listen, and then follow. Walking by faith means we don’t get to see the whole picture, but we get to trust in the unseen, in the unknowns, and the broken parts of the journey, all while holding onto the promise of our forever faithful God.
A year ago, I prayed that God would open the door to South America, and this Friday, I’m flying to Choluteca, Honduras to minister to the people there. Taking another faithful step toward a promise that was given three years ago about Latin America. God faithfully opened that door again, and when I wrote, stand still today, and go tomorrow, in my brokenness, I knew that would come to pass in His time and His will. Hold on to the promises my dear friends, and keep walking in faith, for God is always with you, guiding each and every step of the way. “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” Exodus 14:13
Emily Rodewald 