I was ready. It was not. As I stood outside my driveway early one Sunday morning eager to start my run, patience grew thin while waiting for my watch to pick up a location signal. While it’s nice to have as a resource to track metrics like pace and distance, a watch is not a requirement for running, especially for a casual run, down suburban streets I’d run countless times before. So, I set off on my route while it kept chasing a signal.
It eventually found what it was searching for, but at that point, the distance my watch clocked wasn’t true to the actual distance I’d run. I’d become familiar with where certain mile marks were from prior runs so when I reached what I knew was the first mile and saw a different number on my watch, I knew I couldn’t rely on what it showed.
Nevertheless, what I saw didn’t make the fact that I’d reached a mile untrue. As I dug into that thought, I unearthed a deeper reality God knew I needed reminding of that morning:
Truth is not dependent on what we see.
Living solely based on what our eyes perceive opens the door for deception. In the case of my run, I would have only been misled about the distance I ran; but, on the bigger course of life, believing what we see instead of what God says is true can leave us misled about far more serious matters.
It can lead us to doubt his love, question his goodness, and mistrust his plans. It can drive us to chase after things that can never satisfy. It can yield a life rooted in fear and lies.
On my run, I was able to recognize the true first mile because I had proven it before and hidden that mark in my mind. Likewise, to run well the race he has set before us, we must have his word hidden in our hearts and minds to weigh what we see against truth.
We certainly won’t understand everything our physical eyes see and much of what we do see is not always as it appears on the surface. It’s there we must chose to focus our eyes of faith on the truth and promises of Almighty God.
So, when what we see leads us to doubt his love. Truth…
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:38-39
When what we see leads us to question his goodness. Truth…
“For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” ~ Psalm 86:5
When what we see leads us to mistrust his plans. Truth…
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~ Isaiah 55:8-9
When what we see lures us to chase it for satisfaction. Truth…
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” ~ Psalm 73:25-26
When what we see leads us to fear. Truth…
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
When what we see leaves us enslaved to lies. Truth…
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~ John 8:31-32
Whatever the circumstance, as sure as my mile was a mile, God’s word and his promises are true no matter what we see around us.
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” ~ Proverbs 30:5