Seeing Through Faith-Filled Eyes

1 Kings 18:44, "Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, 'I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea.'"

Yesterday at church, the pastor shared this verse, and God completely spoke to my heart through it.

Elijah said that he heard a mighty rainstorm coming. (See 1 Kings 18:41). He prayed and then sent his servant to look out toward the sea. His servant kept coming back saying that he didn't see anything, but Elijah continued to send him out. On the seventh time of him coming back to Elijah with a report, he finally saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand that was rising form the sea.

Have you ever been sent out to look for something and came back not seeing anything?

The last two weeks, I've been going through a massive Spiritual battle. It's been raging in my life, and what I can see is God fighting for me while the enemy fights ever so harder to destroy me.

A friendship of mine that was slowly dying ended up fizzling out. Past things that I thought were history reappeared in my life. Battles I thought were over poked their heads out once more. Words were said that cut. Not only were my emotional and spiritual health being tried, but my physical health was also. Through all of this, I could see how God was trying to get me to a new level while the devil was doing everything in his power to win a battle in my life in attempts to keep me form entering the life God has for me.

What caught my attention was how Elijah couldn't see the rain, but he heard a mighty rainstorm coming. The sky was blue. There were no clouds. Nothing appeared to look like rain was coming, but he didn't stop believing.

He was able to see through faith-filled eyes instead of through a human perspective.

In my heart, I know God is up to something huge, but I can't see any sign of it. Things I have been holding onto in an attempt to have hope have been being taken out of my life one by one, and when I desperately need rain, I can't see a cloud in sight.

Right now in the midst of writing this, I'm still struggling with pain in things that continue to attack my heart. I am faced with the choice to see through faith-filled eyes and believe in the midst of not seeing any hope, or I can turn to despair by focusing on what I can't see.

Dear Heavenly Father,

With pain in my heart, I am coming to You right now. I can hear the rainstorm coming, but I can't find even one cloud in the sky. God, I'm broken. I'm weary from the attacks on my heart that have been tempting me to turn to despair. Instead, God, I am coming before You with praise. Praise You that You are up to something even though I see nothing. Praise You that You have a good plan for my life even if at the moment my life feels anything but hopeful. God, this is the prayer of my heart tonight,, "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!" Psalm 42:11

In Jesus' Name.
Amen.