by Eva Juliuson

Our imaginations can run wild when it comes to what the future holds. We worry about it; dread it; plan for it. We can become obsessed with it. People flock to horoscopes and fortune tellers to determine how many children they might have, or what position they will achieve. Movies taunt us with disastrous storylines about the future of earth and the human race. Scientific researchers warn us what might happen.

Christians are not exempt from speculations about the future. Books and programs flood the market with predictions of what the future holds. They are filled with “new prophecies” or interpretations of prophecies written in the Bible.

Jesus Christ said this about the future: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). God wants us to have faith in him even when we don’t know what the future holds. If we knew all the details, we wouldn’t need to trust him.

Day-In and Day-Out
Some days it seems easier to trust God with our future than other days. When we have extra money in our bank accounts, when our health is good, when everything seems to be going smoothly, it is easy to have hope for our future. But all that can change in an instant. Some days we’re not sure about the next hour, much less the future. Sometimes worry and fear begin to creep in. We are not certain how we will pay our bills, or if we will make it without our loved one who died or was deployed, or how we will survive without a job or health insurance. Even though it can be uncomfortable, it is when we don’t know for certain what will happen that our faith flexes and grows.

God created and designed the world for us—so everything we could possibly need would be provided for us. He also said we would have to work for it: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (Genesis 3:19). Still he provides all we need as we trust him. Jesus told us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). If God gave us everything at once, we would probably quit coming to him in prayer. He gives us what we need each day so we will stay in contact with him. He is the one who provides.

He gave us a demonstration of his daily provision in the 16th chapter of Exodus. When the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years after disobeying God, he provided for them when there were no crops to produce food. He showered them with manna from Heaven. They were to take only what they needed for each day without hoarding extra.

God wants us to put our trust in him every day—even on the days we are tempted to worry about the future. It is an ongoing battle to fight against the fears and worries that shake our faith. Fear and worry cause us to take our sights off the Lord and focus on the emergency or the need.

God Is With Us
We do not have to go through the present or the future alone. The One who wants the best for us, who loves us more than anyone else ever could, who knows our weakness and still believes in us, who holds all power and authority over everything, who always has been and ever will be, is with us!

He proved it by sending his Son to earth for our sakes. God came near to us even though we rebelled against him. He sent Jesus, knowing we could never be holy enough to live with him on our own. Our future looked bleak without the hope of Christ. Yet Christ lives in us. We do not have to overcome the world on our own.

God has been faithful to his people throughout history. When we read the Bible, we are reminded how God has always been involved in the lives of his people. When we take a look at our own lives, we can see God has always been with us—even when we haven’t been with him.

It is an ongoing journey of faith to trust the One who will never leave us or forsake us. He knew us before we were born, knitting us together in our mothers’ wombs. He will be with us as we take our last earthly breaths and get our first glimpse of Heaven. He is with us now and forever. If he is with us, what do we have to fear?

Waiting for the Future
Jesus promised to prepare a place for us. We look with anticipation to our future, even though we may not know the day or hour we will go home. Our hearts are already there. What should we do with today even as we look to the future? We can’t remain idle.

We need to be about the daily business of loving and serving others in his name. That’s what the present day is all about. It is not about bills, food, clothes, houses, cars, health, careers, or fame. When we concentrate on building God’s kingdom we find joy in a new set of treasures. We share in the delight of our Master as we focus on drawing others to him.

When we see others worrying and fretting about their future, we can share the hope of Jesus Christ with them. Though we still may be tempted to worry about our future, the things that once seemed important simply fade away in the glory of God’s presence. We are free to live fully today for his sake, knowing where our future lies.

In the meantime, he gives us a taste of the future here on earth. What once threatened to pull us down in worry and anxiety suddenly seems less important as we are reminded to whom we belong, who is with us, and for whom we are living. He gives us the peace, wisdom, and strength we need as we come to him. When we live each day investing what he’s given us, we are building on what he has entrusted to us. We will get to share eternal joy with him in the future because of the things we do for him today.

There may be all kinds of predictions and fearful news about the future, but we who belong to the Lord can be at rest, for we know who holds the future. No matter what today looks like, God is with us. He holds our past, our present and our future. In fact, he holds us.

Eva Juliuson is a freelance writer in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Fear Not!

We all find ourselves, at some point, forgetting to trust that God holds the future—and we give in to fear. Fear of one thing or another can grip us and hold us captive. How can we break free?

Marcy Bryan tackles this topic, using Scripture and humor, in her book:

Scared Silly
Taking on your fears, worries, and what-ifs.
Find out more about this book:
www.standardpub.com