“The difference in believing in God and obeying God”, will be a constant theme in our daily lives, as I pointed out in a previous article.
What does it mean to truly walk by faith? Let us look back at the words Jesus spoke to Thomas, post-resurrection in the upper room. “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.” (John 20:7)
This was not for Thomas’ ears alone, or for those gathered in the upper room, it was for all those who would soon be listening to the Apostles as they would tell the stories and repeat the parables of the Savior who left His heavenly realm to become one with His creation, to free us from slavery and sin, so that we could be with Him for all eternity.
How many times have we been like Thomas, needing to “see” before we would believe. From the smallest of things to something as great as believing that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
I am as guilty as the next guy. I would literally pull up to McDonald’s, scan the menu for the Big Mac, just to make sure they still had it because too often, seeing is believing. It sounds silly, but it is true. Such a small thing but still plays a part in our doubting that something can be without being seen. It shapes us in how we trust and how we look at our faith.
There are many times in our lives when we feel abandoned by God, especially when some kind of tragedy strikes. We tend not to “see” God working in those moments. We start to question His motives:
“Why is He punishing me?”
“Has God left me in order that I should suffer?”
“Did God forget that He promised to never leave me orphaned?”
Or we question whether God even exists.
What about the opposite, when the good happens in our life? Do we stop to thank God for His blessings? Do we acknowledge His Lordship over our life?
If God did not fulfill any one of His promises, He would not be God. He does not have the capacity to lie or deceive. He is all Truth.
It is in our lack of faith and understanding that we question Him.
He wants us to know that he is the Great I AM, the Alpha and the Omega.
Look at Saul, who became the Apostle Paul. He believed he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians. Therefore, God, in His infinite wisdom, to bring him around to the real truth, took his physical sight from him, in order to help him truly see.
So…, where do we go from here as we walk this path? Psalm 119:105 states, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
To walk by faith means to live your life as a Christian pilgrim. Trusting in the promises God has made, even if we will not see their fulfillment.
As St. Thomas Aquinas explains, “faith deals with real things that are not yet made visible. We pass through this life of faith because faith deals with things not yet seen. Faith is that lamp that lights our way, guides our step, not enough to replace the final vision.”
We have been given the incredible gift of Free Will. A gift that allows us to choose God’s will, every single day, no matter our state in life or the circumstances we might find ourselves.
Faith is knowing that God is with us always. Believing without seeing means: in this life you trust God’s revelation and follow Christ without the direct vision of God’s essence.
We are children of the Light, not of darkness.
It is by faith that we draw closer to God. It is believing without seeing that we shall come to our eternal reward, the Beatific vision. And all things unknown, will be made known, for the greater Glory of God.
Let us be the ones Jesus spoke of when he said, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.”
One of my favorite scripture verses is from the Book of Revelation: 22:4-5, “They shall see the Lord face to face and bear His name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more; they will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall be their light, and they shall reign forever.”
It is filled with Hope, Joy and a promise: if we truly believe, if we keep the faith, obeying His Commandments, we shall attain that blessed abode Jesus spoke of.
“Faith is to believe in what you do not see; the reward of faith is to see what you believe,” said St. Augustine of Hippo.
Live your life worthy of HIS Sacrifice +
God bless you +
Deacon Dez
(And yes, sometimes I fall back and still scan to make sure the Big Mac is still there, then I stop and pray, “Lord I believe, help me in my unbelief.”)
