Holding on to Faith in the Midst of a Fuzzy Future
Ahhh . . . a new year. The future wrapped in a new beginning. Twelve months of potential.
But not everyone is optimistic about the future. Some say that if the past couple of years is any indication, we’re in for big trouble in 2022. I saw at least one meme declaring:
“Forget New Year’s Eve. I’m waiting until July to see if the arrival of 2022 is worth celebrating!”
Our expectations have been lowered by headlines from 2021 brimming with bad news. Accounts of both manmade and natural disasters. Record heat waves, mudslides, fires, tornados, and hurricanes. Middle East tensions continue to escalate. A pandemic lasting for two years has laid siege to both our physical and our mental health. The economy is fragile, politics are more divisive than ever, and national racial tension is balancing on the edge of the next person’s bad decision.
All in all, the baby new year has its work cut out for it.
With all the uncertainty, it’s no wonder there’s a growing interest in end-times prophecy and Bible studies of the Book of Revelation. People want to know, What does the future hold?
A study of the end-times can provide a broad-brush picture of events, but day-to-day details remain out of reach. Still, God does not want His children to obsess about the future. He wants us to live in such a way that we will be prepared for the future by having dealt with our past. The only way to do this is to accept that our sin has been paid for by the one sacrifice God deems suitable: His Son, Jesus Christ. If we don’t, the future will continue to be a source of fear.
Or as Oswald Chambers said,
“Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”
For Christians, fear is canceled out by faith. Faith in the One we belong to. Faith in the One who laid down His life for us. Faith in the One who not only created this world, He continues to sovereignly sustain it.
Still, faith won’t tell us what dangers lie around the next corner or the next month. But as Joni Eareckson Tada noted,
“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.”
No one knows the details of what the future holds. But we do know who holds the future…and who holds us.
And that’s enough for me.
What helps you face the uncertainty of 2022?
Love this 🙂
I love this post–especially the Oswalt quote. Thanks for the encouragement! God bless!
My comfort and hope is found in the Lord, I am thankful to have His peace.
I love the quotes in your devotional. They are spot on for handling these stressful times. Great post full of incredible encouragement. Thank you Ava.
Such encouragement, Ava, Thank you! No matter what the future brings, I know I am held in the protective and loving arms of Jesus.
“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” This quote by Joni Eareckson Tada summarizes the Christian life for us. We don’t have to figure out the political climate. We don’t have to determine the level of danger to Christians in our culture. No, we simply need to believe what God has said and take the next step of obedience. The Holy Spirit enables and strengthens us to be prepared and able to do this with His strength.
Such a wonderful message, Ava. Loved all the quotes you used. “Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” This one by Joni, reminds me of what Elisabeth Elliott, young widow to slain missionary Jim Elliott spoke and wrote about. She had young children when it happened and she just “did the next thing.” And she encouraged believers in her writings to do the next thing and then the next thing.