3 things to contemplate during uncertain times

 

Uncertainty and doubt are two of the most damaging forces that can wear at our souls. They come in different forms - doubt about our personal futures, worry about our families, uncertainty of the world we live in -  but the havoc they wreak is the same. They're spiritual killers, vines that can choke our faith and cut us off from both God and the people in our lives.

The most insidious thing about uncertainty and doubt is how they can make you lose perspective. They loom large over you, casting a disorienting shadow over everything else in your life. When you find yourself in this situation, you need to concentrate on a few core truths, beacons that will help you find your way. Remember these points next time you find yourself fretting and fixating on the unknown.

Uncertainty and fear feed on the notion that you are not in control. That you have no power over what is going to happen in your life, in your family, and in the world beyond. It's only natural that this kind of worry would trouble us – its a frightening thing.

But the important thing to remember is that everyone is in the same boat. No person living on this Earth knows what the future will bring. Control and certainty are illusions, qualities that we can never truly hope to hold. Fundamentally, we're not in control of our lives. But, God is. He is the one in the driver's seat and the less you fight for a grip on the wheel and accept His course for your life, the less stress and worry you'll inflict on yourself.

It's not a crime to look ahead and try to spot potential speed bumps before you hit them, but it is easy to go too far. The more scenarios you lay out in your mind, the more pessimistic forecasts you tell yourself, the more you are going to work yourself into a nervous wreck. 

Nobody but God knows what tomorrow will bring, so stop trying to predict the future and leave it up to Him. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

Do you think you're the only person who worries about the future? Think again. While not everyone will admit to it, most people harbor some kind of anxiety and trepidation about the course of their lives and the world they live in. Even the most confident people you know more than likely share many of the same fears you do.

This is a good thing. The fact that so many of us share the same fears just means that we can confront them together. There is strength in numbers, and honesty, and communication. When we're honest about how we feel, we can face down these problems together.

Sometimes, the worst part about a secret fear is the just that, the secret. The fact that you can't talk to anyone about it, that you have to bottle it up and fight it alone. But by reaching out and sharing with your friends and loved ones, it loses that power over you. When we support each other, we all grow stronger.

More than your friends and loved ones however, there is one important person who is always there for your – God.

Even when it feels like you're prayers are not being answered, God is listening. He might not always respond in exactly the ways we desire (our desires are secondary to His wisdom), and we might not always be able to spot when He has intervened in our lives, but rest assured, He is always there for you. No matter how dark things may be, you can always find the light of God to illuminate the way.

God is there to help you with your burden. When you feel doubt and uncertainty eating away at our life, don't let them erode your faith. Instead, take your troubles and bring them to God and He will help you. "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).