“So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.”
1 Samuel 4:10 ESV
Why was Israel defeated?
They failed to recognize their own sin, they used the Ark of the covenant as a good luck charm putting their trust in it as a physical object rather than trusting in God himself.
Reflection:
How easy it is for our faith to end up in the seen rather than the unseen God. This tendency to rely on the visible and tangible can lead us astray, just as it did for the Israelites when they placed their trust in the Ark of the Covenant rather than in God Himself.
7 Steps to Strengthen Your Unseen Faith
- Focus on God’s character: Remember that our faith is based on God’s unchanging nature, not on physical objects or circumstances.
- Cultivate spiritual discernment: Regularly examine our hearts and motivations to ensure we’re not substituting religious symbols or practices for a genuine relationship with God.
- Practice “seeing” the unseen: Train ourselves to recognize God’s work in our lives, even when it’s not immediately apparent.
- Embrace uncertainty: Like Jonathan (who ends up defeating the Philistines), we can trust in God’s power without presuming to know His exact plans.
- Study Scripture: Immerse ourselves in God’s Word to strengthen our understanding of His ways and promises.
- Persist in faith: Even when facing challenges, choose to trust God’s unseen hand, following the example of Moses who “kept his eyes on the one who is invisible”.
- Seek God’s will: Instead of trying to manipulate God to do what we want, ask “What do You want, God?” in our prayers and decision-making.
By consciously redirecting our faith from the visible to the invisible, we can deepen our trust in God and avoid the trap of misplaced confidence that led to Israel’s defeat.
