Walking by the Spirit: Looking Beyond the SEEN

Walking by faith and not by sight means learning to trust in the greater reality beyond what our physical eyes can perceive. The world we see is only a shadow of the deeper, eternal truths at work in the spiritual realm. The Apostle Paul challenges us to fix our gaze on the unseen, declaring, “What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). To walk by faith is to step into this deeper reality, guided by spiritual sight rather than surface appearances.

It’s like peeling back the layers of an intricate puzzle. On the surface, things may look chaotic or confusing, but with the illumination of God’s Spirit, we gain clarity and insight into His purposes. As Jesus said, “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24). Walking by faith calls us to see beyond the surface, to discern God’s truth in every situation

Think of a time when you struggled to understand a complex problem—maybe a tough math equation or a challenging puzzle. You wrestled with it, but then something clicked, and suddenly everything made sense. You exclaimed, “Oh, now I SEE!” That’s the kind of clarity spiritual sight brings—not with our physical eyes, but with an understanding that penetrates the deeper truths God wants to reveal.

The Bible is filled with examples of people who walked by faith, seeing the unseen. Abraham left his homeland without knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8), trusting God to lead him. Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on water, fixing his eyes on Jesus (Matthew 14:29-31). These moments of faith required them to look beyond their immediate circumstances to God’s promises and power.

What we see with our natural eyes often deceives us. Consider the optical illusion of a stick in water—it appears bent, but we know it isn’t. Or think of railroad tracks stretching into the distance; they seem to converge, yet they remain parallel. In much the same way, what we see with our physical eyes often doesn’t reflect the full truth.

In our daily lives, it’s easy to be misled by appearances. A financial struggle may seem overwhelming, a broken relationship may look beyond repair, or a health crisis may feel final. But Paul reminds us, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), because faith reveals the unseen reality of God’s provision, healing, and restoration.

When we develop spiritual perception, life looks completely different. Imagine peering through a microscope at a drop of water. To the naked eye, it’s just water, but under the lens, you see intricate life forms teeming within. Similarly, when we see with spiritual eyes, we perceive God’s hand at work in the smallest details of our lives.

If someone is sick, do you see only their current condition? Or can you see them restored and whole, aligned with God’s promise of healing? God is the one who “calls into being things that were not” (Romans 4:17). As His children, we’re invited to do the same—speaking life and aligning our faith with the unseen truth of God’s Word.

Developing spiritual sight takes intentionality and practice. Here are some steps to help you grow in seeing beyond the seen:

1. Daily Prayer and Scripture Meditation
   Ask God to open your spiritual eyes. Pray as the psalmist did: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18). Spend time meditating on His Word, allowing it to illuminate your path.
2. Speak Life Over Your Circumstances
   Your words shape your reality. Instead of speaking fear or doubt, declare God’s truth over your situation. For instance, replace “This will never work out” with “I trust that God is working all things together for my good”(Romans 8:28).
3. Gratitude Journaling
   Keep a gratitude journal to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness. Writing down the blessings and breakthroughs you’ve experienced can help you focus on His unseen provision, even during difficult seasons.
4. Surround Yourself with Faith-Building Community
   Connect with others who are walking by faith. Hearing their testimonies and sharing your own can strengthen your spiritual vision and encourage you to stay the course.
5. Step Out in Faith
   Sometimes, the only way to strengthen your faith is to take action. What’s one thing God has been nudging you to do? Take a step, trusting Him to guide and sustain you.

When challenges arise, it’s natural to want to control the situation. But spiritual sight invites us to surrender, trusting God to work things out for our good. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Instead of striving in your own strength, collaborate with God. He promises to deliver us from every trouble (Psalm 34:19) and to lead us in paths of peace.

Faith acts as a bridge between the unseen spiritual truth and your present reality. Jesus said, “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23), and “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24). The key is believing that the answer already exists in the spiritual realm, even before you see it in the natural.

Faith is like planting a seed. It takes time to sprout and grow, but beneath the surface, transformation is happening. Don’t give up before the harvest. As Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Take time each day to reflect on your perspective. Ask yourself:

• What am I focusing on?
• Am I seeing through the lens of fear and doubt, or with the eyes of faith?
• Am I speaking life and possibility into my situation, or allowing negativity to take root?

Start seeing yourself and your circumstances as God sees them—full of potential, abundant with His grace and power.

This week, I challenge you to take one step of faith in an area where you’ve been hesitant. Trust that as you move forward, God will illuminate the next step. Walking by faith may not always be easy, but it opens the door to a life filled with miracles, breakthroughs, and the joy of living in alignment with God’s greater reality.

Remember, even when you can’t see it, God is working behind the scenes, shaping your story into something beautiful.

Faith is not just about believing—it’s about seeing beyond the seen. Let this be the season where you walk boldly by the Spirit, looking not at the temporary, but at the eternal truths that God has already prepared for you.