What does the future hold? That is probably the number one question in many people’s minds right now. We’re closing out 2024, heading to 2025. There is a lot going on. Here in the U.S., there is a change of administrations getting ready to happen in our government. We face a number of issues which can impact our future. There is inflated costs for a number of things. There are needs when it comes to our healthcare, our infrastructure, our educational systems. On many fronts, there are needs to be addressed. All of these things contribute to our wondering about our future. When we look abroad, there are the wars in the Ukraine and in Gaza that continue to rage. We don’t know what the eventual outcome will be, and that is concerning. There is a humanitarian crisis on the continent of Africa; places like Yemen, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Somalia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe. Weather conditions, violence destabilized governments. All of these factors have contributed to the ongoing crises.
When we begin to look at the future before us, we can choose to see it as a bleak picture. We can find ourselves feeling weighed down by all we are seeing, hearing, and contemplating.
Whenever we zoom out from our current perspective, we find this time is not very different than many other times. Yes, what we are going through is concerning. Yes, there is potential for some really devastating things to occur. Yes, we can find ourselves seeing the future with fear and trepidation. But broadening our perspective to include the past may help to ameliorate some of our feelings. Tough times have come and gone, and the world is still turning. Harsh realities have been faced, and overcome through considerable determination. When we’re so close up on our circumstances, we find it hard to see beyond them.
When we consider God has been with our world from the beginning, and God is still with us, what are we to fear?
The prophet Isaiah tells us in 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” And again in Isaiah 43:2 we’re told, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” The prophet knew about hardships and crises. In the face of them, he proclaimed God is present with us, and will help us come through whatever we are facing. In writing to the Philippians, Paul tells us in 4:12-13…“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” And in 1 Peter 5:7 we read, “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
In light of the fact that we are still here, God is still here, and what all the biblical witness tells us, do we really need to fret, worry and fear the future? Of course we are right to be concerned. Of course we must do all we can to further the kingdom of God in whatever places we find ourselves. But what is ahead of us can never defeat or overwhelm us, because God is with us.
Finally, Jesus also reminds us in Matthew 6:34, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Jesus is so right, we can’t let worry and fear consume us, we can only do what we do today, tomorrow will take care of itself. Whatever comes, we can face it knowing God is with us.
Your companion on the Way,
Pastor Tom