Most mornings, Esther and I meet in the living room to read the Bible and pray together. Sometimes we read a dozen or more verses, and other times just a few. Our main goal is to get something from what we read.
This morning, we spent time in Hebrews 11:1, and we never made it past that one verse. We read it, talked about it, prayed over it, and tried to understand what it truly means.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
As we sat there and talked, the following came to our minds. Faith often starts in a place we cannot see. You might even say it begins like an imaginary picture in the mind before it ever becomes real in life.
Faith is not just wishing. It is not just hoping something might happen. It is seeing in your heart what God can do, even before it happens.
For instance, what do you want to see?
Do you want fear to leave your life?
Do you want peace instead of worry?
Do you want freedom from bitterness?
Do you want your children to grow up and follow the Lord?
Do you personally want a closer walk with God?
Do you want to get married and have a family?
Can you picture it?
Not in a selfish way, but with God in mind. Ask yourself, “Would this bring glory to God?”
For example, it honors God when our children grow up and follow Him. It honors Him when they pass on the faith to the next generation. So, we can picture that. We can pray for that. We can trust God for that.
Right now, that picture may not be real. You cannot actually touch it or see it with your eyes. But that is where faith lives. Faith holds on to what is not yet seen.
The Bible also says in 2 Corinthians 5:7:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
This means we do not base our lives on what we can see around us. We live by trusting God, even when nothing around us seems to be changing. Faith keeps walking, even when the path is not clear.
Another verse that came to mind is Romans 10:17:
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Faith does not grow by looking at our problems. It grows when we spend time in God’s Word. The more we listen to God, the stronger our faith becomes.
We also thought about Mark 11:24, where Jesus said:
“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Jesus is teaching us that faith believes before it sees. When we pray, we trust that God hears us and will answer in His way and in His time.
And then just a few verses later in the same chapter, we read this powerful truth in Hebrews 11:6:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
This shows us how important faith really is. It is not just one part of the Christian life; it is at the center of it. God is pleased when we trust Him, even when we cannot see what He is doing. When we come to Him, we must believe that He is real, that He hears us, and that He rewards those who seek Him.
Then, in God’s time, what was once unseen becomes real. That is what Hebrews 11:1 calls “substance.” It becomes something you can see and touch.
I also thought about Peter the Apostle. Before he stepped out of the boat, he had to believe it was possible. By faith, he saw the impossible before it happened. Then he stepped out and walked on water.
His faith is what held him up. But when he allowed the wind and waves to distract him, fear came in, and he began to sink.
And that is where God’s grace comes in.
Faith holds us up, but when our faith grows weak, God’s grace will kick in. We see this in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Even when we struggle, God does not leave us. His grace carries us when our faith feels small.
So today, walk in faith. Hold on to what you cannot yet see. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Stay in His Word. Pray and trust Him. And believe that in His time, what is in your heart will become real, for His glory.
When that happens, call me. I desire to rejoice with you.