Choosing to See Through Eyes of Faith

How we choose to see things will often determine how we respond to them. Perspective matters. The same situation can either bury us in fear or build our faith, depending on what we allow our hearts to focus on.

Dealing with our daughter being in the NICU has been incredibly hard. There is nothing easy about watching your newborn fight, waiting for updates, learning medical terms you never wanted to know, and walking through each day with hope in one hand and uncertainty in the other. It can wear on your heart in ways that are difficult to explain.

But today, God gave me a small moment that reminded me how powerful perspective really is.

While we were at lunch, a sweet girl noticed the pink bracelet on my wrist and asked if we had a little girl. I told her yes. Then she asked if our daughter had been born today. I told her no, that Sydney was born on January 19 and that she was currently in the NICU.

Her face changed, and she quickly said she was sorry.

But I immediately told her not to be.

I told her that, as hard as this has been, the way I choose to see it is that I got to hold and kiss my daughter forty-one days before I thought I would be able to. I got to see her face early. I got to touch her tiny hands early. I got to pray over her, love her, and be near her before her expected arrival date. And God knew the exact moment she would enter this world.

That does not make the NICU easy. It does not erase the fear. It does not remove the tears. But it does remind me that even in a situation I would not have chosen, there are still gifts to recognize. There is still grace to see. There is still evidence of God’s hand.

One of the things we must remember is that nothing catches God by surprise. There are things He allows that we may never fully understand on this side of eternity. There are questions we may not receive immediate answers to. There are painful seasons we would never choose for ourselves or for the people we love. But even when we do not understand what God allows, we can trust who He is.

He is good.

He is faithful.

He is present.

He is sovereign.

And He is able to redeem even the hardest chapters of our lives.

Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” That does not mean everything we walk through is good. Some things are painful. Some things are frightening. Some things feel unfair. But it does mean God is able to work in all things. He can take what hurts and bring healing. He can take what feels confusing and produce clarity. He can take what feels like a setback and use it as part of a greater testimony.

Tragedies happen every day. Pain is real. Suffering is real. Fear is real. But when we become fixated only on the trial, we can lose sight of what God may be doing in the middle of it. We may miss the grace hidden in the hardship. We may miss the people He places in our path. We may miss the opportunities to encourage others. We may miss the growth He is producing in us.

I truly believe that in this current chapter of our lives, God is doing both. He is working in us, and He is working through us. He is strengthening our faith, deepening our dependence, and teaching us to trust Him in ways we never had to before. At the same time, He is opening doors for us to minister to other people who are also walking through painful and uncertain seasons.

When I look back over the last several days and weeks, I can see His faithfulness. I can see His provision. I can see how He has carried us, surrounded us, helped us, and placed the right people in the right places at the right time. And when I remember what He has already done, I am reminded that He is still in control.

If most of us were given the choice, we would only allow good things to happen in our lives. We would choose comfort over pain, certainty over waiting, and celebration over suffering. There is nothing wrong with wanting good things. Any loving parent would choose health, peace, and protection for their child. But the truth is, it is often in the trials that we see God move in ways we would have never seen otherwise.

In the easy seasons, we may talk about faith.

In the hard seasons, we discover whether we are truly standing on it.

Trials give our faith room to grow. They expose what we are leaning on. They reveal where our trust really is. And when we choose to trust that God has a plan, even in our pain, something begins to happen inside of us. We grow closer to Him. Our prayers become more honest. Our worship becomes more meaningful. Our dependence becomes deeper. Our hearts begin to change.

The situation may not change as quickly as we want, but God changes us in the middle of it.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” That is not easy to do when what we see feels overwhelming. It is not easy to look beyond monitors, machines, diagnoses, hospital rooms, and unanswered questions. But faith teaches us to see beyond what is visible. Faith reminds us that what we are walking through is not the whole story.

In the middle of our circumstances, it can be hard to see the big picture. We usually only see the moment we are standing in. We see the problem in front of us. We feel the fear in our chest. We carry the weight of today. But God sees more. He sees the beginning, the middle, and the end. He knows what He is forming. He knows what He is redeeming. He knows how He will use even this.

As I was leaving the hospital today, I ran into a friend of mine whose young son has been in and out of the hospital since birth. This child has already lived beyond what the doctors said he would. That alone is a testimony. Every breath, every day, every moment has been a reminder that God is the giver and sustainer of life.

But what his father shared with me was even more profound.

He asked his son who was taking care of him, and his son answered, “Jesus.”

Then he said he was going to see Him soon.

That stopped me in my tracks.

Here was a young child, fully aware that his time here may be limited, yet he was not speaking with fear the way many adults would. He knew who was holding him. He knew who was caring for him. He knew where his hope was. And in that moment, through the words of a child, God reminded me of something I desperately needed to hear.

Jesus is near.

Jesus is faithful.

Jesus is enough.

Even in suffering, even in uncertainty, even when life does not unfold the way we hoped, Jesus is still taking care of His children.

That young boy ministered to me more than he probably realized. His simple faith reminded me that God can and will use everything we walk through to accomplish His will and strengthen His kingdom. Even when our pain feels private, God can use it publicly. Even when our struggle feels personal, God can use it to encourage someone else. Even when we feel weak, God can display His strength.

I want to encourage you, whatever you are walking through, look for the good. Look for the grace. Look for the fingerprints of God. Look for the ways He is sustaining you, teaching you, shaping you, and using you. This does not mean pretending everything is fine. It does not mean ignoring pain. It does not mean forcing a smile when your heart is breaking.

It means refusing to let the pain be the only thing you see.

It means saying, “God, I do not understand this, but I trust You.”

It means believing that even when the situation looks bad, God is still good.

It means choosing to see through eyes of faith.

Sydney being in the NICU is not what I would have chosen. Watching my daughter struggle is not easy. Leaving the hospital without her is painful. Waiting for answers is exhausting. But even here, I can see God working. I can see Him strengthening my faith. I can see Him giving me opportunities to speak hope to others. I can see Him reminding me that my daughter’s life is in His hands.

And I can see that perspective changes everything.

When I focus only on what is wrong, I become overwhelmed. But when I focus on who God is, I find peace. When I focus only on the pain, I feel discouraged. But when I remember His promises, I find strength. When I look only at the circumstance, I feel helpless. But when I look to Jesus, I am reminded that I am never alone.

God has been faithful before.

He is faithful now.

And He will be faithful again.

Even in our pain, He can use everything we endure for His kingdom. Even in our questions, He can deepen our faith. Even in our waiting, He can strengthen our witness. And even in the hardest chapters, He can give us eyes to see that grace is still there, hope is still alive, and Jesus is still taking care of His children.