Living With Uncertainty
By Susan Klein
“He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
Psalm 112:7 (NIV)
Uncertain times are
plaguing our nation, especially in the realm of nature. Hurricanes, floods and wildfires
are in the media daily. Many people are living with enormous uncertainties.
Will the hurricane reach my family? How will we be able to rebuild? What if the
rescue teams don’t arrive in time?
Other uncertainties
hang in the balance. Will we go to war with North Korea? Will our economy take
another downturn? Will troubled race relations continue to escalate?
How do we process
all these things, especially in the midst of our own personal uncertainty?
Perhaps you have asked…What if I never
receive a diagnosis for my medical condition? Where
would we go if we lose our home? Will I ever be able to bear children? Will my
wayward relative ever return?
Many questions wait
to be answered. I don’t know how you respond to uncertainties, but my mind
tends to run - - not walk - - toward anxiety. I know, Scripture tells us to be
anxious for nothing, but let’s be honest: The battlefield of the mind is a
powerful arena! Fears are real, whether they are warranted or not. At one time or another, fear of the unknown
plagues most of us. So how do we live with so many unanswered questions?
King David, a man
familiar with uncertainty, struggled with anxious thoughts. While hiding from
his captors and unsure of his demise, he wrote some beautiful psalms that give
us some great pearls of wisdom.
1) He wrestled. “Why,
O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble…How
long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart?” It
is okay to wrestle with God to gain deeper insight. He gave us emotions. He
expects us to feel them. [1] [2]
2) He took refuge.
“In the Lord I take refuge.” He recognized his refuge wasn’t in the release
from his peril, but in the One who was with Him in the midst of it. [3]
3) He sang songs of
praise. “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart: I will tell of all your
wonders.” He found a sliver of strength
in his weary soul to praise His heavenly Father, and acknowledge His goodness. [4]
Uncertainties? They
will always exist. Living amidst them? Wrestle, take refuge and choose to praise
Him.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What is your go-to response when
faced with uncertainties?
2. How might you adopt a new
strategy to defend against fear and anxiety?
FURTHER
READING:
[1] Psalm 10:1
[2] Psalm 13:1
[3] Psalm 11:1
[4] Psalm 9:1
Susan is married to Mark, and
co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is
a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.
