Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith

by Jon Bloom

Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,

One moment they feared the storm and the next moment they feared Jesus, with a holy, reverent fear.

As she thought of God, that fresh cleanness washed over her again, like it had when the rabbi spoke.

God was no longer her condemning Judge. He had become a forgiving Father.

And we need the hope of the promise of Romans 8:28, that God will work all things, even the fallout from our past sins, together for good for us.

When the men relayed the question, the affection that radiated from Jesus was palpable. He loved John. And Jesus was familiar with John’s sorrows and grief and the satanic storms that break on the saints when they are weak and alone. He too had been assaulted, and would be again.

When Jesus had sent John’s disciples away, he said something stunning about John: no one born of women had ever been greater (v. 28). And the grace and patience of the Lord toward afflicted ones are more clearly seen in that he said this just after John had voiced his doubts.

They had God; I had a dead idol: money.

there are some appointments from which Jesus will remove us, and others that he will not grant to us.

we need to call to mind the truth that Joseph discovered after being disappointed by his brothers: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good”

Apparently uncertain seasons are often some of the most powerful moments we experience with God in this age. More than seasons of security and prosperity, they demonstrate that God exists and rewards those who seek him (Heb. 11:6).

Jesus let James die because he had a better life to give him.

There will come a time when Jesus’s prayer for us to be with him will overrule our prayer for prolonged earthly life. And when it does, we will experience a life so far better, richer, fuller, purer, and more joyful that we will shake our heads in wonder that we ever pleaded to stay.

God will not spare us from all awkward and painful decisions. Neither will he spare us from all wrong decisions resulting from our fallen finiteness, even if they are made in the integrity of our hearts. God has his purposes in all of these. But what we can trust him to do is faithfully give us the correction and guidance we need at the time he deems right.

At that moment a woman appeared behind the innkeeper and said, “We have a stable in the back.”

What often appear like misfortunes in the moment later prove to be means of great mercies.

Oddly, though, the normalcy felt a bit strange after the unexpected adventures of the past couple of years.

This path was difficult, dangerous, expensive, time-consuming, and career delaying. And it was all God’s will.

real freedom is not liberty to do what we want or the absence of distress. Real freedom is the deep-seated confidence that God really will provide everything we need. The person who believes this is the freest of all persons on earth, because no matter what situation he finds himself in, he has nothing to fear.

her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much.

true worship is a passionate love for God, not moralistic rule keeping or feats of self-discipline.

What Jesus did was honor Peter’s faith by commanding the water to bear his weight.

Lesson 1: Faith is not faith in our faith in Jesus, it’s faith in the power of Jesus’s word.

Jesus wanted to grant him what he asked for. “Be clean.” Jesus had the power to do it.

waiting on Jesus is a common experience for disciples.

when we’re not sure what to do next, as Elisabeth Elliot says, “do the next thing.”

“Liz, all those years of praying. I had stopped hoping. But God heard

We tend to see our need for God more clearly in adversity. But seasons of success can be our most perilous because we are so easily deceived into thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think

He spoke provision into existence. This is why he’s told us not to be anxious about our needs like food or clothing (Matt. 6:25) but to ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness’ believing that ‘all these things will be added to’ us

this man was blind because God made him blind in order to demonstrate his power in him (Ex. 4:11). His blindness had nothing to do with his or his parents’ personal sin. The purpose of this man’s disability was not punishment but proclamation. It’s just that no one knew it until that day.

this feels kind of... bad.

It took the burden of blame for disability off the frail shoulders of the broken and placed it on the omnipotent shoulders of God.

unless you let me bear your dishonor, your uncleanness, you can’t be my disciple.

The common thread Joseph traced through all the stories, the one thing God seemed to honor and bless more than anything else, was faith.

They all believed even when it looked like God’s word wasn’t going to come true.

Our current circumstances, however dismal or successful, are not our story’s end.

Eighteen years of suffering. The slow burn of chronic pain had worn on her soul.

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight. (Luke 13:12–13) Just like that. Eighteen years of bondage, and with a look, a word, and a touch the sea of her suffering parts. She has her exodus. This was the day God had decreed her deliverance.

Not all the adversaries that were shamed were seen. Yes, the ruler of the synagogue and likely some Pharisees were humiliated. But Satan far more. This woman had been his captive, and he had been disarmed and overthrown with a compassionate word.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Rev. 21:4)

The day of your deliverance is decreed. It will come with a sudden joy. Every adversary will be shamed. Every tear will be wiped away.