Walking by Faith Not By Site

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads where the path ahead seems completely obscured? That moment when you're desperately searching for clarity but all you see is uncertainty? Today we're diving deep into what it truly means to walk by faith, not by sight.

Faith shines brightest precisely when our circumstances feel darkest. I share my raw, personal journey from being jobless on a Brooklyn subway, facing eviction with nowhere to turn, to experiencing a divine appointment that changed everything. That moment taught me how God orchestrates behind the scenes even when we can't see His hand moving.

We explore powerful biblical examples like Abraham, who followed God's call without knowing the destination, and Moses, who raised his staff at the Red Sea before seeing any evidence the waters would part. These stories reveal a profound truth: faith often requires us to take the first step before we see the results.

The practical side of faith-walking requires surrendering our need for control—something I struggle with daily (I even planned my own baby shower!). We discuss letting go, stepping into obedience even when it doesn't make sense, and trusting God's perfect timing. My two-year-old daughter arrived years after we tried to conceive, when my older children were already in college—a testament to how God's timeline differs from ours but always proves perfect in retrospect.

The peace that sustains us through uncertainty comes from knowing not the whole journey but the character of our Guide. As you listen, I hope you'll be encouraged to trust God with your next step, remembering that you don't need to see the entire picture to know that God is faithfully leading you forward. Connect with us at DivineHarmonyFaith.com to share your own faith journey or request prayer support.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Walking by Faith
• 3:15 Personal Story: Faith on a Train
• 11:20 Biblical Examples of Faith-Walking
• 16:25 Practical Steps for Walking by Faith
• 18:15 Letting Go of Control
• 21:25 Obedience and God's Perfect Timing
• 26:25 Closing Prayer and Invitation

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Hello and welcome to another episode of Divine Harmony, her Voice in Faith. I'm so happy that you're here. I am your host, cliche Rice. I believe God has something powerful to speak into our lives as we dive into today's topic. We're talking about walking by faith, not by sight. It's easy to trust when we have everything figured out right, when the path is clear and the destination is certain. But what happens when things aren't so clear, when we face uncertainty, confusion or doubt? That's exactly what we're going to explore today. So walking by faith, it's not always easy. In fact, it can be downright challenging, especially when life takes unexpected turns. But, my friends thank you Father that's when faith shines the brightest. So let's dive in and explore what it really means to walk by faith and not by sight. So our verse from today comes from 2 Corinthians 5, 7. For we walk by faith, not by sight. This verse may seem simple, but it holds such profound truth. When you break it down, it really speaks to the heart of our walk with God. As humans, we like to know what's ahead, don't we Right? We don't want to figure it out as we go. We want everything to be clear. We want a clear path, a step-by-step guide, but God just doesn't always give us that. Instead, he calls us to trust in him with each step, even when the way is unclear or the path is unclear. So let me take a moment just to share a personal story with you guys, one that I hope will encourage you.

Speaker 1: 1:45

There was a time in my life when everything felt out of whack right. I felt disconnected. I couldn't hear from God. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I remember a time when I was younger. I was living in Brooklyn. I had lost my job because I got in a fight and at that moment I had no way to pay my rent. I was facing eviction. I was, at the time, renting a room in a townhouse and had gone through so much until this point I left home at 15. I was bouncing from house to house. For some months I was living on the street. I was going from friends' homes to friends' homes, struggling to find stability, and then, eventually, I found a job. I was working and just when I thought things were starting to settle down, I got in a fight and I was fired.

Speaker 1: 2:37

I remember that train ride home so clearly, and if you've ever been in New York. You know, everything happens on a train ride home. It was horrible. I felt horrible. I was scared. I didn't know what was next. I'm like what is going to happen to me? I just lost my job. What was I thinking? Getting in a fight? How am I going to pay my rent? And I just was renting a little tiny room. The room was so small. I just didn't know what I was going to do or how I would find another job or anything. I felt like I was at the end of the road. But here's what I didn't know at the time.

Speaker 1: 3:16

While I was sitting there, feeling like my world was falling apart, I was actually taking one of the most important steps of faith I've ever taken in my entire life. In that moment of need, I called out, literally quietly on that train. I just called out to Jesus. I didn't have any answers, I didn't know how things would work out, but I trusted that he would help me, even when I couldn't see the path ahead. And what happened next was nothing short of a miracle. It was like Jesus himself walked on that train and said here I am. I ran into someone that my family knew, someone I hadn't seen in a long time like since I was young, and that one encounter led me to an opportunity that would change everything for me. So what I didn't realize at the time was that my trust in God was working behind the scenes. Even in the midst of losing my job, facing uncertainty, god was orchestrating everything for my good. That one step of faith, that simple act of calling on Jesus in that moment, ultimately led me to where I am today. This is a perfect example of walking by faith and not by sight. At that moment, I had no idea what the future held. I couldn't see how things would work out, but I trusted God even in my uncertainty. And, just like Abraham, just like Moses, god took my small act of faith and used it to guide me towards a bigger purpose by sharing my story. I want to encourage you guys. I took my small act of faith and used it to guide me towards a bigger purpose by sharing my story. I want to encourage you guys when you're feeling uncertain, when life doesn't make sense, remember that God is still at work, even if you can't see it.

Speaker 1: 4:56

Walking by faith means trusting him to work behind the scenes. Even when everything feels out of control. Your one step of faith can lead to something far greater than you could ever imagine, and that's the challenge of walking by faith. It's not about having the entire journey mapped out. It's about taking that one step at a time, trusting that God knows where he's leading us, even when we can't see the road ahead. When we walk by faith, we let go of the need for control. We surrender our desires for a perfect plan and trust that God's plan is better than anything we could imagine. Think about it. Faith doesn't require us to know the future. It simply requires us to trust in the one who holds the future, and that's God. That's where peace comes from. Peace isn't about knowing all the answers. Peace is found in trusting that God is in control, even when we don't have it all figured out. Now, I know this can be hard right. There's so many times when we wish we could see the full picture, when we long for clear insight and direction and signs, but the reality is God doesn't always reveal everything to us. Sometimes he asks us to trust him with what we don't see, and that's when our faith grows.

Speaker 1: 6:18

Let's take a look at some examples from scripture where people walk by faith, not by sight. One of the most powerful examples that always resonates with me when it comes to walking by faith is found in the story of Abraham. In Genesis 12,. God calls Abraham to leave everything he knows and go to a land that he will show him. But here's the thing God doesn't give Abraham a map. He doesn't say go to this address and you'll find it. Siri doesn't chime in and say turn right, turn left. He simply tells Abraham to go and that he will show him where to go next. Can you imagine how Abraham must have felt? He had no idea where he was going. No clear direction. Just go, and when you get there I'll tell you something different, I'll tell you the next step. But he trusted God. And that's what faith looks like Trusting God even when the destination is unclear.

Speaker 1: 7:16

Another example is Moses in Exodus 14. The Israelites are trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army. The situation looks impossible, but God tells Moses to raise his staff and the waters will part, allowing the Israelites to walk through on dry ground. Think about that. Can you imagine how he must have felt? Hold your staff up, I'm going to part the Red Sea and you guys are going to walk on dry land. They didn't know how the sea would part or how they'd escape, but they trusted Moses and ultimately they trusted God. Right? These stories just remind us that faith often requires us to take a step before we see the results. Abraham had to start walking before God revealed the destination. Moses had to raise his staff before the waters parted. And you, my friend, may have to take a step of faith today, even if you don't see the way ahead.

Speaker 1: 8:14

So how do we practically walk by faith in our everyday lives? I've jotted down some key points that helped me and resonate with me, and I hope they will do the same for you guys. So the first one is trust God in the unknown. There's so many times in my life when I don't have all the answers, whether it's in my career, my relationship with my husband or relationships with friends and family, or even my health. I often face seasons of uncertainty a lot, and in those seasons God normally asks me to trust him right Trust that he has a plan, trust that he's working everything out for our good and even when we can't see it, he's still at work.

Speaker 1: 9:00

Ask yourself today, what areas of my life am I struggling to trust God with? Where do I need to let go and walk in faith. Where do I need to let go and let God? These are the questions you should be asking yourself on a regular basis, especially when you're facing something and you can't see the end. When God places in your heart that desire to start that business and you feel like, wow, I can't even imagine how I'm going to start. Or you start and you're like, wow, where's this taking me? I feel so flustered, I'm so confused on the direction I'm going in. Today it feels like this. Tomorrow it feels like that. Ask yourself those tough questions and seek God's guidance, and seek his face and try your best to remember scripture and trust in the Lord.

Speaker 1: 9:48

The second one I always the second one I jotted down is let go of the need for control. This is something that I struggle with. I am a controlling person. At times, I like to make sure that everything is in order, that I have control over everything, and I'm going to tell you a quick story about how bad it is. When I was pregnant with my youngest daughter and she's two, I literally planned my own baby shower. How crazy is that? Because I wanted everything to be perfect, I wanted to be in control of everything. I wanted to make sure that the colors matched and the scheme. The color scheme was good and the hors d'oeuvres and the food was just what it needed to be for my family and friends. And everyone was just flabbergasted by that and tickled, because everybody knows me, so they know I could be controlling at times, knows me, so they know I could be controlling. At times I'm a work in progress, guys. So, yeah, that's one story where I use this let go of the need for control.

Speaker 1: 10:55

Another one is I cannot go anywhere with anyone if I'm not driving. It even sounds funny when I'm telling you guys this, but I can't. I cannot go anywhere with anyone if I'm not driving. If someone says, hey, you want to go, I don't know, go out and grab a bite to eat, I'm like, yep, I'll pick you up at this time. Or if it's family and they come and we're taking their car, they trust me, I'll say, hey, let me drive. It's weird, I'm a work in progress, but I cannot go anywhere with anyone without driving. So I say that to say you know, this one can be tough.

Speaker 1: 11:28

We love to be in control, but walking by faith means surrendering that control to God. It means saying God, I trust you more than I trust my own plans. It's not about knowing everything. It's about trusting that God knows what's best for you and when we put that trust in him, it always works out for good. Are there areas in your life where you need to let go of control and trust God with the outcome? I know there are areas in my life. I would love to hear from you guys. I really would. I want to know what's going on out there. I want to hear your encouraging words. I want to hear the areas that you are working on in your life, because by sharing that in the comments, by sharing that, you guys could be encouraging someone else that's out there. So if there are areas in your life where you need to let go of control and trust, go ahead and drop a story that resonates that this helps resonate with you in the comments so we can discuss it.

Speaker 1: 12:33

The third one is step out into obedience, even when it doesn't make sense. Let me tell you, guys, when I started this podcast, seven years, almost seven years God has been telling me to start. I wouldn't say a podcast, but he's been literally telling me that I needed to start speaking more about God, whether it's on video or social media. At the time I didn't have podcasts in my mind, I had more so, just recordings of faithfulness and recordings of testimonies, and recordings of the word and scripture, and just putting it on social media. And that was seven years ago and I ran from that thing like I was Flojo. And here it is, seven years later, when I didn't understand and it didn't make sense to me. I said, lord, I'm going to be obedient. You know, all of the doubt ran through my head. Who wants to hear me speak? Nobody wants to hear what I have to say. And it wasn't even about that. It's not what I have to say, it's what God has to say. So that one step of obedience that I took, even when it didn't make sense to me, even when I felt incapable, even when I felt like, you know, I can't do this, it was the key to walk in by faith. It was the key because here I am now and God strengthens me every day. God gives me the words to speak, he gives me the scriptures to read. God gives me the words to speak, he gives me the scriptures to read, he gives me everything, and I just pray that he opens eyes and ears to receive what he has for them no matter what. But that was the key to walking by faith.

Speaker 1: 14:17

There may be times when God asks you to do something that doesn't make sense, or when he asks you to take a step that feels uncomfortable, but when we obey, we are demonstrating our trust in him. We have to obey. Think of a time when you obeyed God even though you didn't have all the details. How did that experience build your faith? How did that go? Think about that, and when you come up and you face uncertainty in the future, always try to think back and remember where God has brought you through right. Think about where you've come from. Think about all the things that he's done before. Let that resonate with you so that you and that, too, builds trust and faith in God.

Speaker 1: 14:59

For example, my daughter, my two-year-old, me and my husband tried to have a child for years, and it never happened. I have other children, yes, but when they were little. My husband and I tried to have a child for years and it never happened. I have other children, yes, but when they were little. My husband and I tried to have another child. Well, a child together, because my husband has a biological son and I have a biological daughter that we raised from the age of like three and two together in the house, but we didn't have children of our own Not that we didn't love our children, though they were ours, but you guys know what I mean. And we tried. Everything Wouldn't happen.

Speaker 1: 15:35

And then now, here it is years later, god has given me a child with my husband Years later, after my kids are grown and in college. But every time I see her, it's a testament to the faith that I had in God, trusting and believing that he would do it for us one day. He would do it for us one day. I trusted and believed that wholeheartedly, and he did, which leads me into my next point Believe in God's perfect timing. God's timing is always perfect, even if it doesn't align with our own timing.

Speaker 1: 16:12

Think about my story I just told, which is truth. My other two kids are grown and in college 22, 23 years old, grown and in college, and I have a two-year-old. God's timing is perfect. He did it that way for whatever reason, and, to be honest with you, I notice now that it's different with my two-year-old and I'm glad that I have her now at this stage in my life, after all of the things that I've gone through, after all of the woes and the struggles and the building and all of that that my other kids had to go through, the hustle and bustle of the everyday work life and having to drop them off at daycare and all that good stuff, and God gave me my daughter. Right now, in this time, after all of that has settled, I'm able to stay home with her, I'm able to homeschool her, I'm able to do the things, by the grace of God, that I couldn't do with my other children because of the rat race and building and trying to make sure that they have and things like that. So his timing is perfect. It's always perfect, even if we think it should be, because guess what?

Speaker 1: 17:25

Faith means trusting that God knows when we're ready for something, even if we feel like we're running out of time. He has the final say and his timing is perfect. All right, guys, as we come to a close today, I just want to leave you with this reminder you don't need to see the whole picture to trust that God is leading you Honestly. If I can leave you with anything else, let that sink in. You don't need to see the whole picture, to trust that God is leading you in the way that you should go. Walking by faith is about trusting God with every step, even when you don't know where the path leads. So next time you're facing uncertainty, remember that God is with you. He has a plan for you and he will guide you through every season of life. Trust him, even when you can't see the way ahead. He's faithful and his promises are sure. All right, guys, let's close for prayer.

Speaker 1: 18:30

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the reminder today that we are called to walk by faith, not by sight. Lord, in the moments when the path ahead seems unclear, father, and uncertain, help us to trust in your complete plan. Strengthen our faith and remind us that you are always in control, father, even when we can't see the whole picture. Lord God, we surrender our plans, our doubts, our fears to you. Lord, god, knowing that you are faithful and that your ways are higher than ours, guide us with your wisdom, protect us with your love and fill us with your peace. Lord, god, that surpasses all understanding. Lord, help us to walk in obedience to you, trusting that you are leading us every step of the way. May we always remember that with you. Nothing is impossible, father God. Nothing is impossible, father God, with you, and your timing is perfect. We thank you for your endless love, for your grace, for your faithfulness. In Jesus' mighty name, we pray Amen and amen.

Speaker 1: 19:37

So, guys, I never want to take for granted that everyone listening today knows Jesus. You can belong before you believe, but I want to extend an invitation for you to personally know Jesus Christ for yourself. If you haven't yet experienced his goodness and you'd like to, I invite you to pray this prayer with me. Lord God, I am a sinner. Forgive me. Today I repent and ask you to come into my heart and my life, turn me around and make me a new creation. If you prayed that prayer, you are now a child of God. I celebrate this step you've taken. Now I encourage you to find a Bible-based church that teaches directly from Scripture. Also, feel free to reach out to us at DivineHarmonyFaithcom. We'd love to hear your responses to the questions that we spoke about today. We'd love to hear from you, answer any questions you may have. Pray for you and with you, and keep you encouraged. Welcome home, guys.

Speaker 1: 20:42

Thank you for joining me on today's episode of Divine Harmony, her Voice in Faith. Remember you are not walking alone. God is with you every step of the way, as always. If you enjoyed today's message, please, please, please, don't forget to like, share and subscribe so we can continue to spread the good news, the gospel, god's gospel. You can reach us online at divineharmonyfaithcom, where all the many ways to connect with us are listed, including Instagram, youtube and more. Be blessed. Know that I love you and, most importantly, god loves you. Goodbye.