By Tonya S. Swindell

Walking and trusting go hand in hand, so each time I walk, placing one foot in front of the other, I demonstrate faith that God is ordering my steps.

Although I don’t fully understand how faith works, I’m starting to realize the importance of trusting in the Lord with all my heart, instead of relying on my own understanding. Ultimately, my goal is to walk by faith and not by sight.

When I walk by faith, instead of relying on what I can see, I believe I will have good results. Then I demonstrate faith with action. If I don’t, I risk developing faith that is stillborn or suffers from arrested development.

James, the disciple of Jesus, wrote, “Faith without works is dead.” The writer of Hebrews stated: “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen (the conviction of their reality — faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses).”

Faith gives me courage to walk. But it also helps me to be still and know that He is God. Interestingly, a vision gives me greater insight into trusting. In it I saw two very long rooms that were empty and purely white. At the end of each room I saw a doorway leading to a starry sky. It seemed natural to assign a name to the darkened area I saw, so I referred to it as: “It is what it is.”

When I stepped into the first room, I balled up my fists and held them close to my face like a professional boxer. Then I began to shadowbox until I reached the end of the room. Even though I didn’t have a visible opponent, I was exhausted, sweating, gasping for air and afraid to meet challenges lurking in darkness.

Next I entered the second room and saw myself sitting in a seat with my eyes open and hands resting in my lap. Jesus was standing to my right, slightly behind me but still within view. He was gently guiding my seat forward. And once I reached the darkened doorway, I was refreshed, energized and ready to face challenges.

On the day I began writing this, “Jesus Calling,” by Sarah Young, confirmed: “Though the lessons of trust that I send to you come wrapped in difficulties, the benefits far outweigh the cost. Well-developed trust will bring you many blessings, not the least of which is My Peace. I have promised to keep you in perfect Peace to the extent that you trust in Me.”

The psalmist wrote: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Faith helps me move forward as Love calms my fears. My goal is to follow Jesus’ footsteps wherever they may lead.

Tonya Swindell writes a blog for www.inspirenewlife.org and a teacher for Kingdom Building Equipping School (KBES.com). She can be reached at 1brightot@gmail.com.