Ponder This: What does it look like to trust God with my future?
Scripture To Consider: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” -Jeremiah 29:11
Reflections From The PrayerBowl Team: For a long time, a verse in Proverbs 31 has intrigued me. And it is the first thing that popped into my head when asked this question. It is verse 25, which in the NLT version reads, "She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." For most of my life, I didn't really understand this verse, but as my faith in God's goodness deepened, I saw this is what absolute trust in God looks like. Through the strength of Christ and the beautiful gift of grace, I am clothed with strength and dignity. I am a cherished daughter of the King. No matter what challenges and difficulties come my way in this broken world, I still have the joy of the Lord within me—the joy of knowing my eternal future, a future filled with hope and promise. When fear and doubt do begin to creep in, these are the things I do to remind myself to trust in God. 1. Pray about it. Live out the saying, "Give it to God, by laying every worry and burden at his feet. Through the release of all the unknowns, I am reminded about the firm foundation on which I stand. 2. Look to Jesus and model his example of fully trusting God. Jesus came to fulfill the promises of God. In the gospels, we see Jesus surrender his life to the will of his Father, always trusting that God knows best. His life is a roadmap for us, guiding us on the path of trust and faith. 3. Listen and sing praise music. I am so thankful that there are people who are so gifted at crafting beautiful and meaningful lyrics with music. Words that are so heartfelt and can enunciate my belief that God is for me. A few that declare my trust in God are: It Is Well, by Bethel Music and Highlands, by Hillsong UNITED.
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Trusting God with my future, for me, has always meant remembering that He is the only one who knows the outcome of everything in my life. It means surrendering the questions I can’t answer — the when, the who, and the where.There have been so many moments when I just wanted clarity about the outcome. I longed to know the next step, the right person, the right place, or the perfect timing. And when the answers didn’t come, I started to feel frustrated, discouraged, and sometimes even began to lose hope and faith.But I try to remind myself: God sees the full picture. And while it’s easy to say that, actually living it — practicing that trust — is much harder.God is never confused or uncertain. He knows the plans He has for me — and they are good (Jeremiah 29:11). He already knows my future. One very personal example was my journey to becoming a mom many years ago. For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of that role. I watched many of my friends become mothers before me. And while I was happy for them, it stirred up deep questions in my own heart:“When will it be my turn?”During that time, I had to continually remind myself to trust God. He knew my heart, and He also knew the plan — long before I did.When the time came, He answered our prayer in His perfect timing and with His amazing gift. Now, my children are grown — and I find myself once again needing to trust that He knows the plans He has for them as well.There have also been moments when I’ve watched loved ones suffer through illness. I prayed for healing — sometimes desperately. And yet, healing didn’t always come in the way I hoped.
In those moments, I’ve had to hold onto the truth that God’s plan is still good, even when I don’t understand it. Some answers may never come in this life — and that’s hard — but I have hope they will make sense when we see Him face to face.Trusting God with my future doesn’t mean I never struggle. It means I choose to believe He is faithful — even when the waiting feels endless, even in the silence.
"I Am Not Alone" – Kari Jobe (2014)
This song has reminded me over and over again that I am not alone — not in waiting, not in heartache, and not in the unknown.
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Unlike the past, the future is something you cannot see. How many times have you thought, if I could go back and handle a situation this way, things would be different? I have those thoughts daily, and they really are not helpful. God is not working on my past; He is working on my future. Ultimately, the future of eternity with Him. What is helpful is trusting that God (Proverbs 3:5-6) can see my future and wants what is best for me. What is best for me might be unpleasant or painful, or the complete opposite of what I thought best. Obedience is no guarantee of being spared adversity. It takes some maturity to trust God when things are off kilter. It takes surrendering your plan and praying for God's will to make your path straight.
We all have experienced the rollercoaster of life. God's rollercoaster has shaped us into who we are today. Isaiah 64:8 tells us we are the clay and God is our potter. Sometimes the clay does not cooperate with the potter, as we are told in Jeremiah 18:4-6. God, the potter, then starts over and reshapes the same clay to make a new pot. The clay must be pliable. We must repent so that God can reshape us.
We must trust God's plan for us and obey His commands. God speaks to us in many ways. Through the bible, in a small group, praise music at church, the Pause & Pray, or a great book you are reading at bible study. We must immerse ourselves in these activities so that we can hear Him and trust he will reshape us and make our paths straight.
