The Gift of Uncertainty

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NLT)

When discussing the 2020 quarantine period, the difficulty of dealing with ‘uncertainty’ seems to be a recurring theme. Will I get sick? Am I taking the  right precautions to keep my family safe? If I get the virus, will there be long-term damage to my body? Will the economy collapse? Will we be able to pay our bills? When will things get back to normal?

Making plans for the future and looking forward in anticipation is a big part of what keeps us motivated. A sense of agency--an awareness that we are able to initiate, execute, and control our actions--feels empowering. However, uncertainty makes us feel hopeless and helpless. Fuzziness about the future leads to confusion, anxiety, and a sense of imbalance.

Can anything good come from times of uncertainty? When we are unsure about our power to manage and direct our circumstances, this can nudge us toward God. The less we feel in control, the more we reach out for help. The more we learn to trust God, the more we lean on Him for balance. We become less concerned about where we are going, when we will get there, or what is going to happen; instead, we focus on Who is with us.  The feeling of uneasiness is replaced by a sense of wonder: I wonder where God is leading me? I wonder what He has prepared? I wonder what He will teach me. I wonder how He will work out His purposes? 

“Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God.” (Psalm 31:24 MSG)