"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.." Hebrews 12:2a
"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne." nltDOUBT LOOKS AROUND.REGRET LOOKS BACK.SHAME LOOKS DOWN.HOPE LOOKS AHEAD.PHILIEO LOVE LOOKS WITHOUT.SELF-ASSORPTION LOOKS DEEP WITHIN ONLY.DEPRESSION ALSO LOOKS WITHIN.Am not at all presumptuous or cavalier here talkin' about clinical depression, because I certainly don't have the medical credentials to do so, but I do know that...FAITH LOOKS UP.
Here's what God in the Bible says about where Faith will look:- Hebrews 12:2 "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."- 2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Believers intentially direct their gaze and earnest prayers and steps by trusting God's unseen reality rather than physical human eyesight.- Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Faith firmly focuses its gaze on the Word, the Promises that God has guaranteed for the now and future.- Hebrews 11:27 "By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible."
- 2 Corinthians 4:18 "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Where does God dwell? I remember how Isaiah saw the Lord “sitting on a throne, high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1 nkjv).
WHEN YOUR OUTLOOK IS DARK, TAKE THE UPLOOK
Doubt looks around.
Shame looks down.
Self-absorption looks within.
Fear lazer-focuses.. looking at the storm.
Hope looks ahead.
Love responsibly looks outward.
But faith looks up.
And biblical faith does not merely look upward in some vague, sentimental sense. Faith looks to a Person: Jesus Christ.
When circumstances become loud, faith listens for the voice of God. When the future becomes uncertain, faith remembers the promises of God. When everything visible seems to be falling apart, faith fixes its attention upon the One who cannot be shaken.
Hebrews gives us the proper direction to gaze in -- it's to a Person:
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1–2
The Christian life is therefore not primarily about staring at our circumstances and trying to manufacture enough optimism to survive them. It is about deliberately redirecting our attention to Christ.
Peter discovered this on the stormy Sea of Galilee. As long as he looked to Jesus, he walked upon the water. When he shifted his attention toward the wind and waves, fear took over. His circumstances had not suddenly become more powerful; his attention had simply moved from Christ to the storm.
That is a picture worth remembering.
FAITH DOES NOT DENY WHAT IS SEEN; IT REFUSES TO MAKE THE SEEN THE FINAL REALITY.
Paul wrote:
2 Corinthians 5:7
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Walking by faith does not mean pretending that cancer, grief, unemployment, loneliness, betrayal, financial pressure, aging, disappointment, or uncertainty do not exist.
It means refusing to believe that what you can see with physical eyes is all there is.
Paul said:
2 Corinthians 4:18
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Notice the word look.
Christian faith involves a deliberate direction of the heart. We cannot always choose what happens around us, but by God's grace we can choose where we continually turn our attention.
The visible world says, “This is all there is.”
Faith answers, “No. God is still there.”
The circumstances say, “You have every reason to fear.”
Faith answers, “God has not changed.”
The past says, “Remember everything you have lost.”
Faith answers, “Remember everything God has promised.”
The future whispers, “What if everything goes wrong?”
Faith answers, “Whatever comes, Christ will still be Lord.”
That is not escapism.
That is Christian realism.
FAITH SEES THE INVISIBLE GOD
Hebrews 11:27 says of Moses:
“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”
What an extraordinary description of faith.
Moses endured because he was living in light of a reality that his physical eyes could not see it all. He knew that God could.
He could see Pharaoh.
He could see Egypt.
He could see the wilderness.
He could see the Red Sea.
But by faith he also saw the invisible God.
And sometimes that is precisely what we need.
You may see the problem.
But God sees the whole picture.
You may see today's disappointment.
God sees eternity.
You may see the closed door.
God sees what you cannot yet see.
You may see your weakness.
God sees what His grace can accomplish through weakness.
Faith does not claim to know exactly what God will do. Faith trusts God even when it does not know what He will do.
That distinction matters.
Biblical faith is not at all like saying, “I know everything will turn out exactly the way I want it to.”
Biblical faith says, “I know whom I have believed.”
SO WHERE SHOULD YOUR EYES GO?
Not backward in endless regret.
Not downward beneath the weight of shame.
Not sideways comparing your life with everybody else's.
Not endlessly around the room looking for people to rescue you.
Not inward until every thought becomes another echo of your own anxiety.
Look to Jesus.
Charles Spurgeon captured this SO beautifully in his sermon None but Jesus, emphasizing that Christ Himself is the proper object of faith and spiritual gaze.
Yes, and Spurgeon expressed this same truth in another sermon of his entitled:
“Faith always looks to Christ.”
That is the center of the matter.
Faith is not in faith, nor is it confidence in confidence.
Faith is not PMA...merely positive thinking.
Faith is not optimism dressed in religious garb and language.
Faith is not pretending that suffering does not hurt.
Faith is trusting the good character, good Word, good promises, good wisdom, good sovereignty, and great goodness of God.. because He has revealed Himself to be trustworthy. God's Person, Word, and Promises are unchanging and sure.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US?
This is where Hebrews 12:1 is sometimes misunderstood.
That phrase “great cloud of witnesses” does not require us to believe that departed Christians are presently watching everything we do from up there in heaven.
Scripture never plainly teaches that.
The “witnesses” are the people that witnessed of the Lord.. whose lives are recorded in Hebrews 11: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and others who trusted by faith in God despite circumstances they could not fully see.
Their lives bear witness to the faithfulness of God.
Their testimony says:
God can be trusted.
Faith is worth persevering.
Obedience is worth the cost.
The promises of God are greater than the temporary attractions of this world.
And then Hebrews does something extremely important.
It does not say, “Look at the witnesses.”
It says:
“Looking unto Jesus.”
That is the destination.
We do not run our race hoping that deceased loved ones are watching us.
We do not live for their applause.
We do not seek their approval.
We make a beeline to (even in our sermons or witnessing times) and run for Christ.
We point people to Him the ultimate Solution.
And if our loved ones are with the Lord, they themselves have a far greater reason for joy: they are with Christ.
Paul could say:
Philippians 1:23
“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.”
So regarding whether people in heaven can presently see everything happening on earth, the Bible does not give us enough information to say with certainty. We should neither dogmatically claim that they are watching us nor dogmatically claim that they cannot. What Scripture does make unmistakably clear is where our attention belongs:
Jesus.
STOP MAKING YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES YOUR GOD
There is nothing wrong with acknowledging real pain.
The Psalms are filled with honest cries.
David complained to God.
Job grieved.
Jeremiah wept.
Paul experienced tremendous affliction.
Jesus Himself wept at Lazarus's tomb.
Christian faith does not require emotional dishonesty.
You can tell God the truth about how badly it hurts without accusing God of being unfaithful.
Prayer is the place where the believer can pour out his heart before the Lord.
Psalm 62:8 says:
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.”
So vent upward, not merely outward.
Tell God where it hurts.
Tell Him what frightens you.
Tell Him what you do not understand.
Ask Him for wisdom.
Ask Him for strength.
Ask Him for provision.
Ask Him to change what needs changing.
And then, having brought the burden to Him, leave it in His hands.
Philippians 4:6–7 gives us the pattern:
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Notice that biblical prayer contains both supplication and thanksgiving.
We ask God for what we need while remembering what He has already given.
That changes the heart.
GRATITUDE CHANGES THE DIRECTION OF THE GAZE
When life has taken something from you, it is easy to become hypnotized by the empty space.
You stare at what is gone until you can no longer see what remains.
But gratitude deliberately turns the eyes.
Instead of endlessly counting what has been lost, begin thanking God for what remains.
You may have lost one opportunity, but you still have another day.
You may have lost something you treasured, but you have not lost the Lord.
You may not understand tomorrow, but you have been given today.
You may not possess everything you once possessed, but God's mercies have not run out.
Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us:
“It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Sometimes the greatest evidence of God's goodness is not what He has added to your life but what He has sustained you through.
You are still here.
You are still breathing.
God has not abandoned His throne.
Christ has not ceased to be Lord.
The promises of Scripture have not expired.
And eternity has not disappeared.
So take the next faithful step.
WHEN THE OUTLOOK GETS KINDA DARK, TAKE THE UPLOOK
This does not mean becoming foolishly impractical.
Faith does not cancel responsibility.
Pray and WISELY plan.
Trust God and work diligently.
Believe God's provision and handle money wisely.
Trust His sovereignty and seek wise counsel.
Pray for healing and then seek appropriate treatment from a well-trained, smart doctor perhaps. God will guide you.
Believe God can open a door and faithfully knock on the doors He puts before you.
Biblical faith is not passivity.
Faith obeys.
James reminds us that genuine faith produces action.
James 2:17
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
Faith looks upward to God and then walks forward in obedience.
That is why the Christian does not merely need a better outlook.
We need a biblical uplook.
Because sometimes your outlook really is terrible.
The doctor's report may be frightening.
The bank account may be discouraging.
The family situation may be painful.
The workplace may be exhausting.
The future may be uncertain.
The world may appear increasingly confused.
But none of those things sits upon the throne.
Jesus does, and...
He is not anxious.
He is not confused.
He is not surprised.
He is not scrambling to regain control.
He is seated at the right hand of the Father.
Hebrews 12:2 says:
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
That is where faith looks.
Upward to Christ.
Backward (once in awhile) to God's faithfulness.
Forward to God's promises (He's got a track record of keeping them all).
Outward in love.
And horizontal in humble obedience.
But never allow the temporary scenery to become more compelling than the eternal Savior.
Spurgeon put it powerfully when he described the mature believer as one who can see Christ even in the darkness, not merely when circumstances are favorable.
And that is the difference between merely having an optimistic personality and possessing biblical faith.
Optimism says, “Things will probably get better.” I'd rather be a Praying realist.
Faith says, “God remains faithful whether circumstances get better or worse.”
Optimism hopes for a favorable outcome.
Faith hopes in God, and...
Sometimes God changes the circumstance.
Sometimes He changes us in the circumstance.
Sometimes He delivers us from the trial.
Sometimes He sustains us through it.
But ultimately, for the Christian, the greatest promise is not that every earthly circumstance will become comfortable.
The greatest promise is Christ Himself.
Titus 2:13 calls Him:
“That blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
So when your outlook is dark, take the uplook.
When your heart is troubled, pray.
When you are tempted to complain, remember God's mercies.
When you are tempted to despair, remember His promises.
When you cannot understand what God is doing, remember who God is.
When you cannot see the road ahead, stay close to the One who can.
And when everything visible seems temporary, remember Paul's words:
“For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
The storm is visible.
The Savior is invisible.
The pain is real.
The promise is greater.
The night may be long.
But Christ is still there.
So lift your eyes.
Your circumstances are not your Savior.
Your possessions are not your Savior.
Your career is not your Savior.
Your relationships are not your Savior.
Your health is not your Savior.
Your past is not your Savior.
Your future is not your Savior.
Jesus is.
And therefore:
Doubt looks confused and around.
Regret looks back.
Shame looks down.
Fear unceasingly looks at the storm.
Self-absorption looks deep within.
Hope looks ahead.
Philieo love looks outward.
But faith looks to Jesus.
Nothing in any direction beats Him with His agape love for you.
George Barna's group found something very interesting. Yes, that 64% of Gen Z respondents in a 2023 U.S. study reported praying to God within the previous seven days, while 37% reported reading the Bible and 36% attending church during that period.
They also found that among people who had experienced spiritual doubt, 40% sought help from friends or family and 29% turned to Scripture.
Many do experience moments of doubt, but that should not become a reason to withdraw from intimate candor with the Lord, from Scripture Reading, and godly relationships. We all need close fellowship with Jesus and on fire growing Christian friends.
Spurgeon explicitly taught that biblical faith looks to Christ, and in seeing Jesus, he emphasized continuing to look to Christ even when circumstances look very dark.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Look Full in His Wonderful Face.
So what are you waiting for.. take the time to confess, repent and get saved. Take the time to go get alone with God each day.. all day long as needs arise.
A lukewarm carnal or worldly believer looks half to the world to meet his needs and half to Christ. Look up to Him to meet all your needs and live on-fire for Christ. I dare you to!
When the outlook appears dark, dreary and not so good, take the uplook.
Then take the next faithful step of faith as the Lord leads you to.
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