Eyes of Faith: Seeing God’s Work in Everyday Life

Anyone who knows me, knows that I like flowers.  Well, actually, I LOVE flowers!  All kinds, all colors!  They absolutely delight me!  Recently, a new friend asked me, “Why do you like flowers?”

I told her that I love beauty, and flowers are so beautiful.  And I love how creative God is, and flowers are a marvelous display of His creativity with myriad colors and designs.  They bring joy to my heart.

Then, surprisingly, she told me that she had always hated flowers.  She thought they were a waste of money, and that often they were given meaninglessly.  She had not seen their beauty.  She had not appreciated their value.  What I shared helped her rethink her perspective.  She saw flowers differently and valued God’s creativity in a way she hadn’t before. I helped her see with eyes of faith, and she thanked me for that. 

What I realized is that not everyone sees things the same way.  Yet so often we assume other people not only see what we see, but also see things the same way we do.  Where I saw beauty and God’s creative hand, my friend saw something frivolous and without meaning.  Talking together, I showed her something she had not seen before, and I was able to help her see God at work in a way that she hadn’t noticed. 

Not everyone sees the world with the same eyes.  And at times we may be blinded to see where God is at work, and we may need a shift of perspective.  This is where we can help one another.  In loving relationship, we can share about what we see and what we value.  We can show others where we perceive glimpses of God’s glory.  Also, we can listen attentively to understand what others see and what they value, even when they have an alternative perspective.  Through this dialog, we may learn to see from a different vantage point.

In Isaiah 43:19, the Lord speaks to His people, and He says, “See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”  I believe that God is doing new things all the time.  He is powerfully at work all around us, although I may not always be able to see it.  I am thankful when someone points out His hand or helps me hear His voice when I might have missed it. This is also why I enjoy writing devotional reflections and stories of faith and hope: to help others see God more clearly for themselves, to open their eyes of faith.

What about you, Dear One?  Is there someone you know who needs a fresh perspective of where God is at work in their life or their circumstances?  Do you yourself need help seeing where God might be at work around you or to perceive His Presence with you? I pray that God will make you aware of the people He has placed in your life and how He wants to work in those relationships for renewed vision.  My hope is that we can do this for one another and grow together to gain a wider, clearer, more complete perspective of God and His work in the world around us.

A Prayer:

Dear Lord, Your works are on display all around me, but sometimes I just can’t see what You are doing.  Give me eyes of faith and a fresh perspective to perceive Your wonderful works.  And show me where I can assist others to see You, too.  

With praise for Your Great Name, Jesus, Amen.