When I heard this verse in John 11:40 the other day, it inspired me: “Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’”

Not only was Jesus referring to raising Lazarus from the dead, but I’m starting to think that we could apply this truth to all of our trials. What if every trial was a way to open our eyes of faith a little bit wider so that we could see the glory of God a little more clearly? What if we didn’t just read those words in the Bible? What if we applied this truth to every one of our trials now and in the future? Would that perspective change the way we live in this world today? Would it make our witness of Jesus more powerful? Think about it. We would no longer dread tribulations, or complain about our troubles, but we would welcome them and count them all joy because we would be looking for the glory of God in the midst of them.

It occurred to me that FAITH is the key that unlocks this ability to SEE the glory of God.

This concept of faith in God is powerful, yet so very simple. In Mark 5:36, we find the believer’s job description as well as the recipe for seeing this awesome glory of God: “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” As believers in Jesus, we have one job: to believe. The context of this verse is of a man whose daughter had just died. To walk in this kind of “resurrection faith,” we will have to focus not on the impossible, but on the GOD of the impossible. When we accomplish this in the spiritual realm, we will see the glory of God displayed in the physical realm.

"How powerful is faith anyway?"
Faith can silence the roar of fear and quench the flaming missiles of the evil one. It can throw a mountain into the sea, heal the sick, and please the one, true God.

What can faith do?

It can raise the dead, raise our spirits, feed the poor, and simplify the most complicated dilemma. Faith is a crucial key that can unlock a million mysteries in the Kingdom of God. When it’s uncluttered by human reasoning, it will more than conquer our strongest spiritual enemy.

How powerful is faith anyway?
By faith, we believe that God made the world, saves our eternal souls, and finishes the work that He has begun. It’s authored by Jesus, grows by the Word of God, and will send the devil running for cover. Faith in Jesus is a force so powerful that nothing can stop it, yet simple enough for a child to grasp.

How powerful is faith anyway?
Well, we will never know real life on this earth without it, we won’t see heaven apart from it, and prayers won’t be answered in its absence. Having faith in Jesus Christ-it’s pretty powerful, after all. dh

So, the next time you and I find ourselves in a really tough spot, let’s remember that we are actually in a great place. If we’re not seeing the glory of God behind every bush and around every corner, perhaps it’s time we start looking with the eyes of faith instead of with the eyes in our heads. If we see with faith, we will be able to see God’s glory all over the place! Embracing troubles as opportunities to believe God more, we will get to see God’s glory on full display.

In this world, seeing may be believing, but in the Kingdom of God, Believing IS Seeing!

Thanks so much for reading.
Shalom,
Big D