Believing Is Seeing

Believing Is Seeing

I’ve been knee-deep in a new book as we kick off 2026. It’s no longer in print—so if you like what you read, you’ll have to scour the web to find one of the few remaining copies still for sale. Lucky for me, I know the author.

He’s a great man with a humble heart, whose love for Jesus has allowed him to have impact beyond anything he ever imagined—not because of extreme talent, but because of a willingness to be obedient to the call of the Holy Spirit.

Today, I want to reflect on Chapter 9 of The Power of an Ordinary Life by the one and only Harvey Hook. The chapter title?

“Believing Is Seeing.”

As a leader, I am often called upon to have vision. We rally around vision and mission more than almost anything else in life. It’s basic human nature to want to know where things are headed—and why taking the road toward that destination matters.

Missions matter. They provide clarity around the who and the why.
Vision matters. It gives context for the where and the when.
(The how—that’s a different conversation, requiring values and execution, and it’s for another article.)

Vision is a compelling image of an achievable future. For believers, vision is the ability to see God’s presence, perceive God’s power, and focus on God’s plan in spite of obstacles. Visionaries are those who can see what is not yet as if it already were. They see beyond the bend in the road.

Right in the middle of his book, Harvey offers several truths that leaders—and those tasked with carrying out vision—need to hear and understand.

Vision always precedes change. And change is almost always met with opposition, especially when the vision for your life comes from our Heavenly Father. If a vision is from God, it will require God to accomplish it. If it is God’s dream, He will pay for it.

Because of that, we should seek a vision for our lives that feels a little scary. The best ones do. They require God’s intervention and provision along the path in order to be fulfilled. That’s how faith is built. Vision demands trust and obedience—often in the face of very real, earthly obstacles.

And every true vision will be tested for authenticity. That’s not a flaw in the process—it is the process.

To understand how believing is seeing (the opposite of how we usually evaluate what’s possible) let’s look at Scripture.

The story of Lazarus is found in John 11. When Lazarus became sick, his sisters Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus. Yet Jesus remained where He was for two more days. Lazarus died and was buried.

When Jesus finally arrived, Martha said, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Jesus was moved by the loss of His friend, and He wept. But in God’s plan, the death of Lazarus led to something greater. Jesus raised him from the dead.

Jesus said to Martha,

“He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied. “I believe.”

As the stone was being rolled away from the tomb, Jesus said,

“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

That’s it. Right there.

When we believe God, we begin to see what He wants us to see. Seeing isn’t believing—because many people at that tomb saw the miracle but did not believe in God. But those who believed saw something deeper: the glory of God revealed through the miracle.

Belief and vision go hand in hand—because believing is seeing.

This story is familiar to me, but I had never connected this truth so clearly. Many witnessed the miracle with their eyes, but their hearts weren’t open to what God was revealing. Those whose hearts belonged to the Lord saw what others missed.

Let us not be among those who miss it.

Each of us feels a unique tug on our heart from the Holy Spirit. No two callings are the same, because God desires to work through each of us specifically. Every one of us has the capacity to receive vision from the Lord for how we can be useful in building His Kingdom.

At first glance, your vision may not make sense. It may not be doable on your own. But if you can’t shake it—if it won’t let you go—you’ll need God to show up in ways you can’t fully explain at the starting line and throughout the race in order to pull it off.

And if it’s His vision, He will show up.

Just as Jesus did in John 11.

So tonight, let’s open our hearts. Let’s not miss the vision God has planted deep within us. And if you’re pursuing that vision—and being tested along the way—take heart. That testing is part of the plan.

Stay the course.

God is on His way.

-Mark