Trust

There are so many topics within this topic, but for today, I'm going to focus on trusting God with the future.

The future...this huge, opportunistic, terrifying thing looming in front of us. For some it is exciting, for some it is ignored, for some it is dreaded. For me it is unknown. I suppose that it is unknown for all, but I have never felt so unsure of the future as I do now. In fact, I feel like every time that I might have some idea of what the future holds or what it looks like something new happens to mix everything up. So what do you do? I honestly have no idea, but I thought maybe I would explore it a little and try to figure it out!

Let's start with the obvious. Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
Out of context this verse is a wonderful promise that everything is going to be okay. In context it's a wonderful promise too. This verse falls in the middle of passage on God's judgment and his restoration. In case you didn't know, God is a God of restoration. I heard a sermon the other day and in it the speaker said that God wants to restore not to replace. When God destroyed the world with the Flood he essentially replaced a wicked humanity. When He sent Jesus to die for our sins He chose to restore humanity rather than replace them. This is beautiful. These days I am all about restoration.

So, how do you trust in his promises when all you can see is hurt and pain and darkness? 1 Peter 5:7 says "Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you." Psalm 139: 1-5 says "You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." This passage goes on to talk about how there is nowhere that I can go to be removed from His presence and that all of my days were ordained before I was even born.

My future is unknown to me, but God's Word says that He has it under control! He knows exactly where He is taking me and how I am going to get there. I have made choices that have made my path difficult. Others have made choices that have made my path difficult. But, sometimes the most difficult paths lead to some of the most beautiful places. When I get weary and it seems that I just can't trust anymore I think about these two scriptures:
Isaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
and
Psalm 30:5 "Though sorrow may last through the night, joy comes in the morning."
Those, my friend, are promises that are good enough for me!