How Should We Respond to Life’s Uncertainties?
Uncertainty is certain. When we are faced with the unknowns of this life, most of us tend to respond with fear, panic, defensiveness, or positioning. The year 2020 was full of prayers and hopes for a better coming year; but as we learned, the turning of the calendar didn’t make a lot of difference to the situation we’re currently in. And no matter how hard we prepare for the future, we can’t simply predict what tomorrow may bring.
When uncertainties or threatening unknowns of life do arise, how should we respond? Who should we look for refuge and protection? Who shall we listen to for stillness and peace? “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” as the apostle tells us in 1 Peter 5:7. Truly, there’s no one we can submit our anxious hearts to but Jesus—who’s sovereign to give us comfort and answers amidst any uncertain situations.
Seek God
We seek God for help because He is our refuge and He is present in all troubles and uncertainties we face (Psalm 46:1-3). This is a reality that we must recognize in our daily struggle. God assured us of this comforting promise when He gave His only begotten son to us. As we read in Romans 8:32, Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
When we are drowning in the waves of unknowns and uncertainties, God asks us to seek His refuge and help. His Word tells us that in Him, we have rock-solid protection and sanctuary through Christ Jesus. What a comforting covenant to behold.
We also seek our Creator for grace, because He is the only one who gives grace upon grace and the one who holds the answer to life’s uncertainties. As God tells us not to be anxious about tomorrow, He backs this up with grace and mercy towards us. Only if we seek Him that our burden and the weight of tomorrow’s troubles will be eased. My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me, as we read in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
We “don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries” and today’s troubles are enough for today (Matthew 6:34). These words highlight the sufficient grace that God gives us to address the questions of the coming day. Our response to anxieties of the unknown is to cast them to God who gives endless grace.
Be still and listen to God
Uncertainties, even when we know that we are in Christ and are saved by Him, can still make us tremble. But God commands us to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10-11). This means that we should trust and listen to Him even if it seems that everything is being taken away from us —convenience, comfort, health, wealth, family, friends, even jobs. He alone can sustain us and give us the answer to the questions of every day and tomorrow. He is our greatest and only answer when we doubt or fear life’s uncertainties. We are asked to be still. We are asked to pray and listen to Him by reading His Words fervently.
