Believing Is Seeing

I caught the second half of the film 'Loch Ness' this afternoon. 

 

I remember loving it as a child.  It follows an American scientist who is sent to Scotland to investigate the existence (or non-existence as he believes), of the Loch Ness monster.

 

At one point, as he is beginning to come round to the idea of the monster's existence, he says to one of the characters: "I want to see it so I can believe, too."  But she replies, "No.  You have to believe it to see it."

 

So often we can get caught up in the same cycle in our walks with God.

 

We want God to prove something to us before we believe it.  We want evidence before we will accept it.  We want to know that we can trust Him to provide if we give up our money.  We want to know what His plans are for our futures before we 'agree' to them.  We want to know if He'll answer our prayers before we bother praying.

 

But the Bible says,

 

"We live by faith, not by sight."

 

[2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV]

 

And in another translation, this same verse reads,

 

"It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going."

 

[2 Corinthians 5:7 MSG]

 

 

It would be wonderfully helpful to know and see everything that might develop and unfold in my future before deciding to trust in God.  It would be excellent to see the truths about Him being faithful and reliable before I decide to put my hope in Him.

 

But unfortunately, that's not the way faith works.

 

Sometimes we have to believe in order to see.

 

Sometimes believing is seeing.

 

 

 

 

 

Working on Believing

I've just finished reading 'Room' by Emma Donoghue.

 

I only got it out of the library yesterday and I have hardly put it down.  It is one of the most beautiful and mesmerising books I have ever read.  It is about a five-year old boy, Jack, who has grown up in a single room, without ever knowing anything of the outside world.  He believes that everything he sees on TV is just 'TV' - it's not real.  But one day, his Ma tells him that there really is a world outside.

He struggles to take this in and to believe that it is real.  And he says, "I'm working on believing."

 

Isn't that true for all of us?

 

Aren't we all working on believing and growing in trusting?

Believing in God.  Believing in His goodness.  Believing in His faithfulness.  Believing He really does care and He really does know us.  Believing He has a plan to bless us and prosper us.  The list of things we are working on believing could stretch on and on.

In the Bible, there's a story of a conversation Jesus had about believing with a man whose son had suffered from seizures since he was little.  The man told Jesus,

“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

[Mark 9:21-24 NIV, emphasis mine]

Everything is possible for him who believes.  I don't believe this.  Yet.  But I want to.

We are all working on believing.  And God will help us if we ask Him.