Faith That Sees the Unseen
Month 12: Risen & Sending · Walking in the Spirit
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 20:30-31
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Memory Verse
“Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””— John 20:29 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Hebrews 2-4
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Jesus our great High Priest sympathizes with our weakness — so we come boldly to the throne of grace.)The Heart of It
Jesus blessed those who believe without seeing. But how does anyone come to really trust a Savior they have never laid eyes on? Faith in the unseen isn't something we work up. We don't squeeze our eyes shut and try harder. Faith is a gift. The Holy Spirit wakes it up inside us. Paul says, "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (). You hear the good news, and something in your heart says, "Yes. That's true. And He's mine." That isn't just you being clever. That's the Spirit opening eyes your real eyes could never use. Walking in the Spirit means living by a sight that goes deeper than eyesight. "We walk by faith, not by sight" ().
This kind of faith isn't pretending. It is answering what God has truly shown us. He shows us through His Word. He shows us through the people who saw Jesus. And He shows us deep inside, where the Spirit makes the truth sure to our hearts. Here's the good news for your family. This gift is offered, not forced. God draws every one of us by His Spirit. But He waits for a real "yes." He never drags an unwilling heart. So we can ask Him for the very faith we need. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (). And He loves to answer. The eyes of faith get clearer the more we walk in the Spirit. We pray. We obey. We stay close to Jesus. The world says, "Seeing is believing." For the follower of Jesus, believing is its own kind of seeing. And the Spirit is the One who lets us see.
Around the Table
We can't see Jesus with our eyes. But the Holy Spirit helps us know in our hearts that He's real and He loves us. That's a special kind of seeing!
Let's do it: Close your eyes and say, "Holy Spirit, help me believe Jesus is real!" Then open them with a big smile.
The Holy Spirit helps us believe in Jesus even though we can't see Him. Faith isn't pretending. It's trusting that what God has shown us is true.
Let's talk: What helps your faith grow stronger? Reading the Bible? Praying? Being with God's people? How could you do more of that?
The Spirit wakes saving faith up inside us. And God still waits for our real "yes." He draws us, but He never forces us. We walk by faith, not by sight.
Let's go deeper: If faith is the Spirit's gift, why do we still have to choose to believe? How do both of those truths fit together?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's something you can't see, but you know is there? Like the wind. Or love. Or air. Jesus once said the Spirit is like the wind. You can't see it, but it's real and powerful.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Believing in the unseen isn't unscientific. Scientists believe in gravity. They believe in atoms. They believe in the past. They don't "see" any of those directly. We trust the unseen God too. We trust Him because of His works, His Word, and His Spirit.
For Dad · Go Deeper
There's a beautiful balance here, and it guards us from two ditches. On one side is the cold idea that faith is something God zaps into people against their will. That would leave us passive, and we lovingly reject it. On the other side is the proud idea that faith is something we manufacture by sheer willpower. The biblical truth is warmer than both. The Spirit graciously enables us to see and believe. He draws us with real kindness. And then we genuinely respond. Grace goes first. Faith answers. For your kids, this means you can pray with real hope that the Spirit will open their hearts, while you also call them to respond. Don't just inform their minds about Jesus. Ask the Spirit to make Him real to them. And keep walking in the Spirit yourself. Your children are far more likely to trust an unseen Christ when they see Him plainly at work in their dad.
Draws on: Robert Picirilli, Grace, Faith, Free Will (a classic Arminian treatment of how the Spirit enables faith).
Let's Pray Together
"Holy Spirit, open the eyes of our hearts. Help each of us believe in Jesus even though we can't see Him. Let our faith grow stronger as we walk close to You every day. We say yes to Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen."
The Spirit gives me eyes to see the Savior my eyes can't see. And I say yes to Him.