We live in uncertain times. Everywhere we look we see evidence of unrest around us. The truth is nothing remains the same.
Change is inevitable, and along with change comes uncertainty about the future. Dealing with uncertainty is a challenge for anyone trying to adapt to unforeseen changes in their life.
We have only to turn on the news or look at social media to realize that the world around us does not resemble the one in which we lived a few short years ago.
Uncertainty is a natural part of life. Everyone feels it on a daily basis. From big things to small, being uncertain does not mean you are lost or a failure. It just means you're alive.
Uncertainty may be one of the worst feelings. Especially if the uncertainty involves something we care about deeply.
How do we respond when we face uncertain situations? I typically try to hold tighter to what I can, to force the outcome my heart desires. I also try to hold on to things I can’t hold on to. Or I try to change things that are outside of my power or control. And the more I realize all the things outside of my control, the more utterly aware I am of the deep panic of uncertainty in my soul.
I enjoy walking with my Siberian husky, my husband, and my son. I often walk my dog. In those times I have found that the very act of leisurely walking gives me a chance to declutter my mind and have a chat with God heart-to-heart. Sometimes I also find myself wondering about everything happening in the world that doesn’t seem to make any sense to me. I find myself trying to reconcile the greater purpose for any of the "isms" we can list or debate about. I find myself searching for God's greater purpose or plan for me when things don’t seem to make any sense in my life. Those are the days when I feel like I am one of the pieces on a chessboard, just being moved around and placed logically in grace spaces. However, if I knew God’s next move, would I still pray boldly as I do? Would I know without a doubt that God wouldn’t abandon me? If I knew every move God was going to make, would situations, events, or moments that seem unfair or tragic be easier to bear or live with?
I wonder if Joseph was terrified when his brothers sold him. I wonder if he got a heads-up on God's plan and had no fear of the outcome. I wonder if he knew all along that he had a greater purpose and trusted God to take care of him no matter what happened. When Joseph finally revealed his identity to his brothers, his words to them seemed to embody more than just forgiveness. His words almost had a sense of knowing and cooperation with God. It was as if God let him in on the secret of what would come next, and everyone else was unaware that they had also participated in the greater plan. It is that sense of knowing that I seem to long for these days. The sense of knowing that everything happens for an actual reason, a greater purpose. The sense that every incident, hurt, or injustice will ultimately be balanced out, and the surprisingly good fruits will be revealed, ready to be plucked and enjoyed. If I knew more, maybe I could cooperate with God better; at least, that's what I tell myself.
However, on the days when I am slightly free from my fears of the unknown, and faithful to God’s creative process, I can see how my desire to know outcomes before I trust in God’s plan can be unnecessary baggage. It is an attachment that holds me back and prevents me from cooperating with the Holy Spirit. It prevents me from ministering without wanting recognition. It prevents me from feeling true peace and enjoying a season of friendship before that season passes. It is the attachment that prevents me from risking depending on others or even risking rejection. Holding on to the need to know, and maybe even the need to approve the outcome of things happening in my life, makes me pay too much attention to hurts, loss, and wants.
Maybe this is where the Gospel (Matthew 10:7-15) can provide some help. The Gospel simply prompts us to take nothing along on our journey; God's grace and love are sufficient for us. The Gospel doesn't just tell us to leave our baggage and attachments behind but also prompts us to resist picking up any along the way. Even the dust from our feet should be shaken off as if we were never in that place of rejection or hurt. We are to hold no grudges and bear no malice…. all these are dust… unnecessary baggage. We are to live, minister, and proclaim the word of God in our nakedness…our vulnerability. We are to do what is right even when it's hard and leave others with a sense of our peace whether we feel they deserve it or not.
That peace will surely return to us because God, who is impartial, balances out the experience equation when the time is right. That peace is really all that remains with us when we leave this world. Through all our experiences, God reveals to us in different ways that we have always been loved and never abandoned, even if we cannot see it at that moment.
Christians have the certainty of God’s nearness. However, there are those we love in our families, workplaces, schools, and communities who are facing the fear of uncertainty without the hope of the nearness of Christ. What an incredible opportunity you and I have in the midst of uncertain situations to be beacons of light of the promise and presence of the sovereign rule of Christ.
Our job as individuals is to reflect the love, goodness, grace and glory of Christ to a broken world. Everything else is in the firm and faithful hands of our loving God.
Sources
1. Authentically, Uniquely You - Joyce Meyer
2. Take Heart - Matt Chandler
6. Where Is God in All the Suffering? - Amy Orr-Ewing
7. The Purpose Driven Life -What on Earth Am I Here For? - by Rick Warren
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