Walk By Faith, Not by Sight

As we “step” into the second month of this new year, we continue to trust in God’s promises and seek to follow His direction. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and through those words he also encourages the members of Good Shepherd to have courage as we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We put ourselves in God’s hands, the One who sees and knows everything; He sees what lies ahead and by His Spirit guides us into this uncharted territory. As His stewards we are to make decisions and take prudent action while acknowledging that He is the Master, and we are the managers of everything He has given us.

A common analogy compares our life as God’s people to a journey – like taking a road trip. Good drivers look ahead, but only focusing on the “windshield” means we may miss what is going on around us or what has influenced us in the past. * As Christians we can go forward with confidence and courage, while learning from the past and looking out the side windows to see what is happening in the world around us. Honest evaluation of our past shows us our sins and need for a Savior. God doesn’t call us to be perfect, but He does call us to be faithful and grounded in His Word and His ways. Living and leading by faith, not by sight, means that it does not depend on us; God is our Master and guide!

In so many areas of life, like being a parent, going to a new school, taking on a new responsibility, or being a pastor, there is no exact “playbook.” By God’s grace, His Word, and the gift of the Holy Spirit we are called to discern the problems and opportunities, and trust in God to help us figure things out (Proverbs 3:5-6). By using our God-given abilities, listening more, praying more, and leaning on God more, we can make decisions that are God-pleasing. We should also have the humility to re-evaluate decisions and see how we might heed God’s directives and listen to our brothers and sisters in Christ. *

Walking is differentiated from running in that there is always one foot on the ground. Walking by faith means we stay grounded in His Word and are renewed by His sacraments daily. We must constantly be immersed in His Word and open to listening to others so that we can discern the best path forward. God calls us to be part of a community with others; staying involved and engaged in the decision-making process enables us to encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

On February 23rd during the “Education Hour” we will be hosting another “Town-Hall” meeting. The primary focus is to consider ideas about maintaining and renovating the church property. The Trustees have been working on prioritizing projects and others have generated some ideas to update the interior spaces. While maintaining the property is important, it is equally critical to discuss why these projects should be considered and what God would have us to do in the future at this place and in this community. We pray for God’s guidance and direction, we pray for people to be involved and willing to listen as well as share ideas, and we pray that God would continue to work in and through us for the building up of the “Body of Christ” and service to our neighbors.

*Ideas for portions of this newsletter article were gleaned from “Leading by Faith: Practical Insights for Christian Leaders” by James Sanft, 2024, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO.

Pastor Schuldheisz

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