“Seeing Is Not Believing”

2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT – For we live by believing and not by seeing. 

2 Corinthians 5:7 is one of my favorite scriptures. I have had this frame (in the picture) with my daughter’s picture walking down the middle of a highway at night in our hometown in East Texas for years. If any of you are from the country, you know how dark it could be at night. You are unable to see anything without your high beams on. I took this picture when she was in middle school. 

Years later, she went off to college and ended up in an abusive relationship. I received a phone call from her boyfriend at 2 am stating he could not find her, and that she ran out of the apartment “for no reason”. I got dressed, grabbed my gun, and sped over. When I drove thru the gate, my headlights struck him a couple of feet ahead as he was coming from behind the dumpster.

Quickly, I drove down, hopped out of my car, and asked, “What are you doing? Why are you coming from the dumpster?”. He stated that he was checking to see if she had jumped the wall and walked to the freeway. It made no sense to me. I knew my daughter would never do anything like this, especially at 2 am. I checked the dumpster to see if he had dumped her body. She was not there. Then, I stopped cars as they drove by. Suddenly, he took off running towards the apartment. I hopped back in the car, backed up to the building, and got out.  

As I was walking to the apartment, I started praying. Let me be honest with you. My prayer was, “God, please let me find my daughter alive. Please help me, Lord. I don’t want to kill this boy.” As I walked, God said to me clear as day, “It’s not what you think it is. It’s not what you can see with your eyes. Don’t believe what you see. Have faith. Believe in me. Remember the promises I have spoken to you regarding her life”. 

Once I entered the apartment, I saw luggage on the couch, her purse, and her cellphone on the floor near the entryway. I checked everything as well as the outside storage to see if I saw blood. Thankfully, I didn’t see any. As I left the apartment, she appeared as I was walking back to my car. Immediately, I began to thank God for His love for us, for being my friend and keeping me from destruction; but most of all for increasing my faith. 

As parents, we all have worried about our children. It’s natural to experience this at some point in time. On that day, He removed that fear from me. Today, I no longer worry about her. I know God has her covered and nestled safely under His arm. Our story didn’t stop there, but our faith elevated that day. 

It may sound terrible to share this. However, it taught us both something. I learned not to take things into my own hands because God has her, and it wasn’t my place to be judge or jury. For her, it drew her closer because God spoke to her and told her to leave. He told her not to go back, and if she did, she might die. 

Sometimes, He allows things to happen for the sole purpose of building our faith; so, that we may be rooted in our faith and show our obedience to what He has instructed us to do. Such building of us is only possible through the Holy Spirit so that we may have faith and gratitude, praying to Him in the Spirit, and giving us wisdom that leads to salvation. This kind, we can get only through the Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:15

I don’t know why I chose to share this message today, but I’m obeying His institution yet again. Be blessed. I am praying for every one of you. 

With compassion,

Nicole Buford A.K.A. Flower      

Romans 4:2

Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,

Jude 1:20

Building us up on our holy faith, so that we pray in the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 2:6-7

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as a living stone

1 Peter 2:4-5

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.