“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:6)
Too many Christians I know think there’s something wrong with them; they wonder if they’re missing some key part of Christianity. They look around at church on a Sunday morning and everyone is smiling and dressed nice and nodding along with everything the pastor is saying.
If they knew how empty I feel . . . If they knew that being a Christian hasn’t taken away my loneliness . . . If they knew how much I still struggle with sin . . .
Here’s the little secret we don’t mean to keep from each other: We all know. We’re all lonely on some level. We all still struggle. Paul just told us how he groaned to leave the tent of this body behind and actually be with the Lord. We’re not there, yet. We can’t see him, yet. So we keep believing and waiting, and he keeps providing strength and hope and joy for another day through his Spirit.
Think: Do you think Christians intentionally hide from each other how deeply we struggle or hurt or groan? Do you think it would help for us to be as honest as Paul has been in this chapter?
Pray: Ask God to help you live with his courage and joy and peace today even though you can’t see him, yet. Thank him that one day you’ll be able to live “by sight” of him.
Do: Play a game: Ask a friend or family member (that you trust) to guide you around a room or through a house while you keep your eyes closed. Follow their voice commands to stop, go left, go right, etc. Notice how much harder it is to walk by faith in someone else’s voice than it is to walk by sight.