Seeing Christ Beyond Current Circumstances: The Role of Faith

Daily Devotional – Tuesday, February 22, 2022

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

Luke 17:5 (NKJV)

The death of Jesus was the most devastating blow to His followers. The darkness that engulfed them when Jesus was arrested worsened with His death on Calvary. Everyone seemed to have forgotten Christ’s promise that He would resurrect on the third day.

For many Jews, Jesus was supposed to be their deliverer from Roman oppression. A clear indication of this is the lament by the two men traveling to Emmaus: “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21).

Blinded by Fear, Disappointment and Hopelessness

From the Friday Jesus died to the Sunday He resurrected, His disciples were in mourning. Jesus’s followers focused on the past and their perceived loss. Beyond the cross, they saw no hope. Not even reports of His resurrection on Sunday morning stirred them.

So blinded were they by fear and hopelessness that when Jesus appeared to Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus, the two did not recognize Him. The Lord expounded the scriptures that talked about Him but the two disciples did not make the connection.

Closing the Door to the Present

Imagine walking with the Lord for more than 11 kilometers and not recognizing Him! They even invited the ‘stranger’ to stay the night with them! Only when Jesus took bread, blessed it, and broke it did they recognize Him.

That is what happens when we allow doubts, past pains, regrets, and mistakes to cloud our minds. When we concentrate on the pain of our unpleasant pasts, we deny ourselves the opportunity to enjoy the present.

Increase Our Faith

Jesus shared a message of hope with Cleopas and his friend. He directed them to the Word of God, where they could find inspiration to let go of the past and embrace the doors God was opening before them.

Instead of allowing tears to impede our vision of Christ, we need to imitate the disciples as recorded in Luke’s gospel account. “And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”” (Luke 17:5). We need faith to see Christ beyond our current dilemmas and predicaments.

Faith Sees Christ Beyond Our Tears

Could you be missing out on God’s abundant blessings because you are focusing so much on past mistakes, failures, and disappointments? Ask God for faith to forget what you need to leave behind and to trust the Lord with your life for the days ahead.

Lord Jesus, increase my faith.