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December 19, 2016 |
“And Jesus said to him, ‘Go, for your faith has healed you.’ Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.” Mark 10:52 (NLT)
I’m not much of a Monday person, but this particular Monday morning, I found myself disliking that dreaded day even more than usual.
Shortly after waking up from a restless night’s sleep, my thoughts drifted toward what the upcoming week might hold. I felt a sense of dread sink into my heart and soon found myself wishing it were already Friday.
Most people long for Friday because it means the beginning of the weekend; however I knew that if the week were over, I would no longer have to worry about what challenges it might bring. If it were Friday, I would already have encountered them, faced them and made some progress in dealing with them.
Yet, the fact remained: It was only Monday.
As anxiety set in, God pricked my heart, reminding me I could either let my anxious thoughts control me throughout the week, or I could choose to be in control of them instead. I could worry myself into a frenzy or ask for His peace to fill my heart. I was blind to what was ahead, but knew God had a crystal-clear view.
In Mark chapter 10, a blind man named Bartimaeus sat beside the road — as he normally did — when he heard a commotion. He soon discovered the large crowd of people following Jesus. And they were all headed his way.
Bartimaeus had no idea what was going to happen. Having no sight, he could have felt threatened and anxious, fearful the crowd might trample him. He could have been concerned he’d be unnoticed and overlooked, yet again. Instead, he focused on what he could see with his heart rather than what he was unable to see with his eyes.
He excitedly began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47b, NIV)
When the people yelled at him to be quiet, he refused and continued to shout, saying, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10: 48b)
His shouting pricked Jesus’ ears.
Jesus stood still, and asked someone to bring the blind man to him. The Bible says Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up and headed straight toward Jesus. (Mark 10:50)
I love that. The blind man threw aside anything that might hinder his running, jumped up all on his own and blindly ran to Jesus.
He ran solely ahead by faith, not by sight — unafraid of falling or bumping into things, nor fearing what might be ahead of him, simply because He heard Jesus’ voice and knew He was there.
Bartimaeus’ eyes caused him to live without sight, but his heart allowed him to live by faith. That small act of blind faith changed his life forever.
As I lay in my bed pondering this sweet story God brought to mind, my heart began to calm. My inability to “see” the upcoming week did not have to hinder my ability to run forward in faith. I could follow Jesus’ voice in blind faith too, if I chose to believe He would watch over my every step, much like He did for the blind man.
I prayed for the strength to live by faith even when I couldn’t see what was ahead. I committed to trust Jesus with all the things He could see coming but I could not.
We can always choose to follow Jesus’ voice, rather than let our blindness keep us paralyzed in anxiousness and pessimism. Just like the blind man, when we choose to follow Jesus’ voice instead of our eyes, our faith can be life-changing, helping us discover peace and blessing.
Lord, help me have the courage to move through my circumstances each day with blind faith and peace instead of worrying about what I cannot yet see. Open my spiritual eyes to see what You want me to see and hear what You want me hear, while helping me trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” (NIV)
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT)
RELATED RESOURCES:
What if God gave you the chance to forget your past and start over? Begin building a strong, faith-filled future based on God's vision for your life instead of your own with our upcoming First 5 study of Joshua and Judges. Get the Experience Guide today.
CONNECT:
Sometimes the future can seem scary, but your mindset about it — whether positive or negative — is what can make or break you, your attitude and maybe even your faith. Visit Tracie Miles on her blog today to learn about her new book coming in just a few months, Unsinkable Faith: God-filled Strategies to Transform the Way You Think, Feel and Live.
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Where in your life could committing to live with blind faith, trusting God is in control, help you feel less anxious and more positive about what’s to come?
How might you go through this week differently if you learned to control your anxieties instead of letting them control you?
© 2016 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
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Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org