What Does It Mean To Walk By Faith, Not by Sight?
Since losing my sight in 2015, 2 Corinthians 5:7 has become my motto:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Over the last five years, I have seen this verse ring true in my life spiritually and literally as I navigate the world without my sight. Merriam Webster defines faith as, “Belief in, loyalty to, and complete trust in God, and as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.”
So, what does it mean to navigate the world solely on your trust in God and on your belief in the unseen? What does it mean to walk by faith and not by sight?
It means to keep moving, even if you don’t know where you are going
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Those are some of the truest words I have ever heard! In this way, “Walk by faith, not by sight” means, even though you might not be able to see where you’re going, you keep moving!
In Exodus 13, God lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Instead of taking the easier, more direct route that they were more familiar with, God delivered them through the wilderness.
You see, God knew what was ahead. He knew that the better journey for the people was the one that, to them, seemed harder and more treacherous. Moses and the Israelites did not know which way to go as they walked along, but God made His presence known. Even though the people did not know where they were going, they kept moving and looked to God as their guide.
“After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Ethan on the edge of the desert. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.” -Exodus 13:20-22
Just like the Israelites, I had a long, difficult, and unfamiliar journey ahead of me after losing my sight. I had no idea which way to turn. God did not choose to heal me physically, although this would have been the easy way out of my troubles. Instead, He chose to deliver me through the hardships and grief that my disability brought.
God showed His presence to the Israelites as He guided them with a pillar of clouds and a fire by night. By following these signs, the Israelites were indeed delivered from Egypt. I, too, had to search for God’s presence during my first few months of blindness, and I still lean heavily on His guidance today.
Without my sight or a pillar of fire to guide me, I had to turn to my faith. When faced with my disability, I couldn’t see the whole staircase - the whole big picture of my life - but I took one little step at a time, trusting that God would show me that next step and guide me as I went, just like Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness.
It means to understand there is more than what can be seen
When I lost my sight, I quickly became a lot less concerned with how I looked. Sure, I still wanted my hair to look nice and for my clothes to match, but I no longer spent what seemed like hours in front of the mirror making sure my makeup was perfect and each strand of hair was in the right place. It just was not as important to me anymore.
Likewise, when I encountered others, I focused more on what they said, the emotion in their tone, and the truth behind their statements rather than what they were wearing or if they were having a good hair day. Those things are not that important anyway.
“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:18
Like 2 Corinthians 5 tells us, this worldly body is really just a tent anyway. We have a much better dwelling place waiting for us in heaven, and what we “see” is not going to get us there, but what is in our hearts surely will.
Walking by faith and not by sight means we live today according to God’s promises, even though we cannot see them, and not according to the temporary, arbitrary things our eyes often focus on here on earth.
It means to trust God…. even when you can’t see Him working
We all had times in our lives when we thought: “Is God even listening?” “Is He there at all?”
When we are facing something difficult and we don’t seem to get any relief from the pain, worries, or anxieties our circumstances bring, even after praying relentlessly, it can be easy to feel as though God abandoned us. I prayed constantly for healing after I lost my sight, and still do, but I still cannot see. Does that mean that God is not working in my life? No way!
I’ll admit, I was very disappointed at first when I did not receive physical healing. I knew God had the power to do it, so why was He doing nothing? It took time to realize He was working in my life, just not the way I wanted or could see at the moment.
He was working on my heart, healing me spiritually.
He was making me more patient so that I could wait for a new purpose.
He was making me more confident, despite my disability, so that I could share what He is doing in my life with others.
We can see a Biblical example of this in the book of Esther. Did you know that God is not mentioned once in this book? Yet, His hand is evident throughout it though. He prepared Esther by making her queen and giving her courage, softened the king’s heart towards Mordecai at the right time, and gave the Jews relief from their sorrow through all the events that would follow.
Walking by faith, not by sight means that, even though we may not see God working right now, we trust and believe He is preparing us for blessings and relief from what we are facing somewhere down the road. It means we keep rejoicing and praising Him through the hard times, knowing God is still in control.
“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.” -1 Peter 1:8
What does it mean to you to walk by faith and not by sight?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sara Claudia is a public speaker and writer from Carrollton, GA. After losing her sight in 2015, she embarked on a journey that both tested and strengthened her faith. She found a passion for sharing her testimony and experiences through her writing and speaking. In her spare time, Sara Claudia enjoys exploring God's beautiful creation through travel and being outdoors.