Psalm 59 is such a sweet psalm to me.  Admittedly, it starts out with some not-so-sweet language as David compares his enemies to a pack of hungry, angry dogs. But he eventually shifts his focus back to God. And the words that stand out to me, the sentiment that is so sweet to me, is his confident assurance in the Lord’s presence and protection, his faith even in the midst of an overwhelming situation.

When David prayed these words, he was literally trapped.  In 1 Samuel 19, we read that he was trapped in his house as Saul’s men encamped around it, waiting to kill him.  His enemies surrounded him, but he knew that even more so, the protection of God surrounded him.  “You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.” Psalm 59:9 NIV

We see a similar account in 2 Kings 6:15-18.  The King of Aram waged war against the people of God.  The prophet Elisha was instrumental in their defense strategy, resulting in their victory at every turn.  So, the King of Aram made Elisha his target.  Under the cover of night, his troops advanced one by one until an army surrounded Elisha’s city. 

In the morning, he and his servant awoke to an onslaught.  But Elisha was unmoved because that was not all he saw.  He told his companion, as they took in the warriors, the horses, the chariots all lined up against them, “Don’t be afraid…Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16 NIV

In the face of insurmountable odds, Elisha had a choice.  He could look at the enemy’s army or he could look at what God was doing.  And Elisha chose to see the big picture – the angelic protection that was there all along.  He chose to see through the eyes of faith.

What about you?  What are you looking at?  Are you looking at how hard your situation is or how big your God is?  Are you seeing something that seems impossible, or are you seeing how God can move, even in this?  What do you see?

“Do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV

Seeing with the eyes of faith doesn’t mean you don’t see the problems in front of you.  It doesn’t mean denial of the realities of life.  It’s more a question of focus. It means identifying troubles and being honest with God about how you feel.  And it means seeing those troubles through the lens of reliance on God: nothing distorted or out of proportion.

In short, seeing with the eyes of faith means acknowledging and addressing problems without being overcome by them.

I know from personal experience this isn’t always easy.  It doesn’t always come naturally.  And it certainly doesn’t solve all our problems overnight.  But it does help us walk through them.

So, don’t just watch the circumstances snowballing, the stress levels rising, the problems escalating – watch the One who rises above it all.  The One who is able to engineer His perfect will in the midst of it.  The One who offers you His loyal love – right where you are.  Watch Him.  And watch Him move in your situation.  Just like He did with Elisha.  Just like He did with David, who escaped from his house through a window. 

David ended his prayer by acknowledging God’s presence in the midst of his overwhelming circumstances.  We can claim his words as our own:

Watch for the God who loves you to fulfill His purposes for you, to do what only He can do.