Uncertain Timesਨਮੂਨਾ

Certainty in Uncertainty

Benjamin Franklin famously said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”

Now, as believers, of course, we can list numerous other things that hold certainty in our lives (God! Jesus! Scripture!), but Franklin’s humorous maxim is solid.

Put another way:

In this life, uncertainty is constant.

And I think it’s safe to say that most men do not like uncertainty.

Remember when COVID-19 hit? Whether your primary concern was the virus itself, or the economy/your finances, or fractured relationships, or the role of the government, or the negative power of social media, or whatever the case may be—those were uncertain times in many areas of life at once, and uncertainty is always stressful.

Some of us are old enough to remember well the Great Recession of 2008-2009, when stock markets crashed, unemployment soared, housing prices collapsed, and the whole world was unsure of what came next.

Or recall the days following the September 11 attacks, when the seemingly untouchable America was shockingly struck on her own soil, triggering two large-scale wars and a newfound fear of terrorism that overtook every aspect of life.

The historical examples could go on, but other examples likely hit closer to home:

Wars and possibilities of wars all around the world.

Political turmoil at home and abroad.

Economic upheaval and fear for the future.

An increasingly un-Christian West with declining church engagement.

That bad report from the doctor.

The marital strife.

A major concern about one of your kids.

The unknown in all of these things—what will happen next?

Believe it or not, the point of this week of devotionals isn’t to stress you out.

It’s to acknowledge that these worries are real and are part of living in a broken creation that awaits its full redemption by its Creator (Romans 8:22-25).

These days, the level of uncertainty and anxiety for the Christian man is high, to say the least. If we chose, we could be stressed out 24/7. On any number of issues, there are matters which threaten our peace.

But there is one certainty above them all: There is a God in Heaven, above all things, who gives us numerous comforting truths to help us navigate such times with His peace. This week, we will explore these biblical truths.

Let’s be men who are not swayed by what we see but deeply rooted in this God and what He says.

Prayer: Father, there are uncertainties in my life, and I find them stressful and sometimes overwhelming! Teach me to be a man who trusts You and walks in Your peace. Amen.

Reflection: What are the biggest things that rob you of peace these days? Take some time to honestly and authentically bring them before the Lord today and ask for His help.