NOT BY SIGHT

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

I’ve known this scripture since my childhood, and have had many opportunities to put it into practice throughout my adult life, but this has been a season where the Lord has been teaching me how to live it out in a fresh way. Not only has the Lord been teaching me about this in personal areas of my life, but also as I work in the villages of Mae Khao Tom.

A while ago, Mae Da took me to meet her sister, Bpa Noot, who had recently had an accident while driving her motorbike. The first time we visited Bpa Noot, I had asked the Lord what He wanted me to share with her. So I brought a bag of rice to give and mentally prepared to share what I felt the Lord put on my heart; however, as I shared, I wondered if Bpa Noot was really even listening. As I talked with her, she scarcely even looked at me, but I was thankful that she allowed me to pray for her.

As I drove away, I remember talking to the Lord about whether or not anything I said had even made a difference and wondering why nothing seemed to happen when I boldly prayed for healing. But in the middle of my questions, the Lord graciously met me. He reminded me of a time recently when one of my leaders told me to have faith and to “doubt your doubts.”

The Lord then told me not to focus on simply what I see with my physical eyes, but to look with eyes of faith.

Fast forward to five weeks later, after constantly praying for her, visiting, and sharing whatever I felt the Lord put on my heart, Bpa Noot came to church for the first time and has now been coming many weeks in a row. The great thing is that Mae Da was the one who invited and really encouraged her to come—not me! Since the first day Bpa Noot came to church, her countenance has brightened and completely changed.

I had the chance to sit with Bpa Noot after church and to hear her share more in-depth about everything that has happened since her accident. She told me that the first day I visited her, she saw someone behind me. At first she thought maybe she was having double vision, but when she turned to look at her sister (Mae Da), she saw only one person.

Later she told me that the person behind me was tall and was wearing clothing “not like our clothing,” describing it as something like a robe. The person then came and hugged her and touched her arm and the back of her head. I don’t know if this was an angel or the Lord himself, but she said that she felt a cool sensation go through her body when the person touched her.

When I heard this, I could not help but marvel at God. That first day I visited her, Bpa Noot’s face was swollen and her right arm was in a sling. She explained that the right side of her face was numb and that she could not lift her arm beyond a certain point. While I had boldly prayed for healing, it had seemed like nothing happened. However, the Lord was at work, even though I couldn’t see anything happening with my physical eyes.

After a few days, Bpa Noot said her arm felt better and she was able to do some chores around the house.

When her daughter saw her working, she was surprised and asked how her arm had healed so quickly. When Bpa Noot went back to the hospital for her check up, even the doctor was surprised to see her arm so well and asked what medicine she had taken, to which she replied that she hadn’t taken anything!

As Bpa Noot wrapped up her story, she kept thanking God and said that it is as if God gave her a “new life.” I’m so thankful that all this has also opened up doors for me to share the gospel with her husband and to begin to reach out to her grandchildren as well. It’s been so amazing to see God work and teach me along the way to walk by faith, not by sight.