Christian, so often we fear the future and the unknown. We fear, I believe, because we haven’t come to realize that if Jesus has our back, there really is no need to fear. I like what John Newton says on this point: “If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer – His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable.”1 To this Corrie Ten Boom adds: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”2
When we fully trust Jesus, knowing that he has our back at all times, fear will vanish because we can rely on Him to work all things together for our good and His glory. While it is certainly true that the particulars of the future are often unknown to us, nothing in the future is unknown to God. In fact the future is where God is expert in using it to work out His wonderful plans that He has for us. And as we learn to totally trust Him and always walk in His will we will begin to see how the future is the place where we can see how God’s plans, our desires, and His glory can all converge into a wonderful crescendo of joy and delight.
My friends when we completely give our hearts to the Lord some wonderful things begin to happen. First, when we keep our minds focused on Jesus we can experience amazing peace. For we read: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3). Second, we can rely on all of God’s promises because as John Newton says they are “unchangeable.” As a result we can claim one of God’s most wonderful promises found in (2 Chronicles 16:9): “For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” And when we know God has our back we can rejoice knowing that the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10). And third, according to (Hebrews 13:5): “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Knowing that Jesus, even when we go through our most difficult trials, is right there with us, cheering us on and helping us to overcome them, is to me a great source of encouragement just realizing I am never alone.
When we are walking with the Lord, we have at our disposal His omnipotent power and resources to defeat all of our enemies, fear being one of the chief enemies.
In closing, I ask you to read one of David’s most encouraging and fear reducing psalms, and get lost in it soothing words:
(Psalm 23)
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging confirmation of our place as children of God in Jesus. It fits with what was on my mind last night; that God provides peace like a river (Is.48:18). God bless you today brother Curt 🙏
Love this. Let’s talk about this further