Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
Faith takes the first step without seeing the entire staircase. That's what the donkey owner did on that pivotal day before Palm Sunday. When the disciples came with their unusual request, this person released a valuable possession with only four words of explanation: "The Lord needs it." They couldn't see how their animal would carry Jesus into Jerusalem as prophecy fulfilled. They couldn't hear the shouts of "Hosanna" that would soon fill the air. They obeyed right in front of them, trusting the One who made the request.
Our limited view often makes us hesitate when God asks for our trust. We want guarantees before we give. We want to see the results before we take the risk. We want the complete blueprint before we build. I sometimes struggle with this – wanting to know precisely how things will turn out before jumping in. But faith, by its very definition, means moving forward without complete visibility. The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 all stepped out without seeing the whole picture. Abraham left home without knowing where he was going. Moses' mother placed him in a basket without knowing the Pharaoh's daughter would find him.
God rarely shows us the entire impact our obedience will have. Think about it – if the donkey owner could have seen their animal carrying the Messiah while crowds waved palm branches, would their act still have required faith? Probably not. It would have been a simple calculation: "This amazing outcome is worth the temporary loss of my animal." But genuine faith operates without such clarity. The owner released the colt without guaranteeing when it would return or what condition it would be in. Their faith was genuine precisely because they couldn't see the outcome.
What makes faith challenging is precisely what makes it powerful – the gap between action and outcome. There's something transformative about that gap – the space between releasing what God asks for and seeing what He does with it. In that gap, our trust grows. Our character develops. Our relationship with God deepens. If we could always see outcomes in advance, we'd never experience the spiritual muscle-building that happens when we walk by faith, not sight. The gap isn't a design flaw in God's plan – it's an essential feature.
The donkey owner's faith echoes across centuries, challenging our need for guaranteed results. One may often want to know the "return on investment" before giving to God. Will my financial gift make a difference? Will serving in this ministry be "worth it"? Will sharing my faith with this person lead to their salvation? But the unnamed owner in our Palm Sunday story released what was valuable with no guaranteed outcome. They trusted that if the Lord needed it, that was enough reason to give. What would change in my life if I adopted that same simple trust?
Sometimes, our most significant acts of faith create ripples we'll never witness in this lifetime. Imagine if I could show you a map of impact – tracing every consequence of your faithful obedience through time. The prayer you prayed for a stranger that changed their direction. The encouraging word you spoke that prevented a suicide you never knew about. The money you gave funded a mission that reached someone who led thousands to Christ. These ripples often remain invisible to us. The colt owner might never have known their animal carried Jesus in His triumphal entry. Your most significant kingdom contributions might be ones whose full impact you'll only discover in eternity.
Faith means planting trees whose shade you may never sit under. Japanese Christians have a beautiful saying: "We're planting trees in whose shade we do not expect to sit." This captures the essence of forward-looking faith – taking actions today whose full benefit may be for future generations. Moses never entered the Promised Land himself. David collected materials for a temple he wouldn't live to see built. The early apostles died without seeing Christianity spread throughout the world. Yet each acted in faith, trusting God's purposes beyond their lifetime. What will you plant today that may only fully bloom after you're gone?
When we can't trace God's hand, we can still trust His heart. Faith isn't believing that God will do what you want. Faith is believing that God will do what is right. Romans 8:28 doesn't promise we'll understand how everything works together for good. It simply promises that they do. The colt's owner couldn't see how their small act of release fit into God's redemptive plan. They trusted the character of the One making the request. When outcomes are unclear, we anchor ourselves not in understanding but in who God is.
Godseekers, the question isn't whether unseen outcomes will test your faith but how you'll respond when it is. Every significant spiritual journey involves moments when God asks you to release something valuable without showing you exactly what He'll do with it. Your time. Your talent. Your treasure. Your comfort. Your control. Your plans. In those moments, remember the nameless donkey owner who heard "The Lord needs it" and responded with immediate release. Their unseen act of faith became part of the most celebrated procession in history. Your unseen faithfulness matters more than you can know.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for wanting to see all the outcomes before I trust You with what You ask of me. Strengthen my faith to obey even when the staircase disappears into the fog ahead. Help me remember that while I can't always trace Your hand, I can always trust Your heart. Give me the courage to plant trees of faithfulness whose shade might bless generations I'll never meet. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
- What is God asking me to release right now where I'm hesitating because I can't see the outcome?
- When have I witnessed the unexpected blessing that comes from stepping out in faith without first seeing the full picture?
Step of Faith
Today, I will identify one area where I've been waiting for clarity before obeying God and take a concrete step forward, trusting that He works all things together for good even when I can't see how.
