Phil 1:6 “6 There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.”
There are two kinds of Hope. Hope “in” something and Hope “for” something.
I would say in regards to our future we need to have both.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t question what God is doing and what His plan is for me and my family. Sometimes that thought is refreshing. Refreshing to know that God has a plan and it’s all in his hands.
Sometimes It is crippling and almost paralyzing. There have been many times where my actions and lack of action have been dictated by the fact that I just have no clue what God is doing. I have begged for a flash forward and have not received it.
The Bible says “You don’t know which way the wind blows so how can you plan tomorrow”
For me, I have no clue which way the wind blows so I am constantly trying to plan tomorrow.
When we plan, if we leave God out of the decision making, we have the potential for sabotaging his Master plan. We can be like chipmunks storing our cheeks for the winter and spending all our time foraging for “nuts” so we can be prepared for our future.
Recently I was struggling with a bout of depression and anxiety of the future. This anxiety was spinning out of control and messing up my marriage and ministry. Out of the blue I felt God tell me to see how an old friend of mine I have not seen in 15 years was doing. So I did.
“how are you doing?” I said
“didn’t you hear?” she replied “my husband was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago”
My heart sunk. I didn’t know what to say.
She asked me “why would God allow this to happen”
I could not answer this of course. There is no right answer for that in a time of crisis that would really sooth the heart. There may not ever be a right answer for that while we are here on this earth.
Then she said something to me that changed my perspective on life. It was the most basic thing she could ever say and something we hear all the time. We are so good at missing basic truths. Sometimes you have to hear it from God to really let it sink in.
“I should have spent more time on each moment and lived life day by day instead of arguing with him and worrying about the future. I can’t get that back now”
Let that sink in for a minute. Think about your family, your wife, your relationships, your dreams, and your future. I realized I needed to Live and cherish moments with my wife and kids. Is that easy all the time? Of course not. Life can get in the way, but we need to be intentional about trying. This next line is vital so please don’t miss it.
God asks us to put our hope in Him because he gives us the ability to hope For the future.
We need to take it day by day and moment by moment because fear, anxiety, and worry rob us not only of hope but also of the moments that make life worth living. Working out of those things puts us in survival mode. We spend all of our time trying to survive for the next thing much like our woodland creature above. I know for myself that the enemy has robbed me of great relationships and life because he had me wrapped up in anxiety about “surviving”
It is only when we stop trying to survive and give ALL of our cares to jesus that we can truly live.
If you are honest with yourself you know you have bought the lie of survival, anxiety and fear. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
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