not by sight...

"We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). "These seven little words describe an entire way of life. To operate in faith instead of what we see calls for an inner conviction that God can be trusted to do what He says. We prefer circumstances, people, & events to work on our timetable. This way we have the illusion we're in control." (Luci Swindoll)

Having cancer pretty much wipes away (in one felt swoop) the illusion that we are in control. Truly, we only create stress by kidding ourselves, especially in thinking we are in control. It's like paddling upstream. We are not in control, & the sooner we grasp that reality, we can begin learning to surrender.

How can "these seven little words describe an entire way of life?" It is because they apply to us wherever we are on our faith journey. If we do not have faith in Christ, our first step will change the course of our life on earth & our eternity. I believe we will live our life differently, & according to the Bible, our eternity will be vastly changed by this one significant decision.

I am not saying we won't have troubles. We will. My life is an obvious testimony to trouble. I am saying we will have a  compass to guide us through the storms of life. Eternally speaking, when we die, we will live forever in Heaven where we are promised there will be no more suffering, nor more tears. How about that?

So how do these words in 2 Corinthians effect how we live, an entire way of life? "We walk by faith, not by sight." If we have already taken our first step, & we are followers of Christ, haven't we taken that one significant step? Haven't we secured our eternity in Heaven? We have (I believe), but we still need help navigating the rough waters of life.

It's the unexpected that keeps tripping me up. It's hard to prepare for something when we don't see it coming. If I know something is inevitable, I begin to reconcile things in my heart so that when the inevitable happens, I'm as ready as I can be. However, when something comes my way that was never in my view, I find it much more difficult to accept. Lately, that seems to be my lot in life. Unexpected waves keep rolling in; it's part of my journey & the journey of life.

It's not the intellectual battles I fight. Faith is not a struggle for me. It's what anchors me & keeps me still in the rough waters. Living by faith has become my way of life. It's all I've got, & I cannot see my future. I have to live by faith not by sight. I am not in control. Circumstances, people, & events are not falling into place. However, my God is still the same. He has not moved. He has not changed. His promises remain. When I trust in Him, I am okay, even when the unexpected walks in my door.