A Prayer in Fearful and Uncertain Times

One of my greatest fears is for the health of my children. Perhaps because from infancy they’ve battled asthma and chronic illness. More likely, it’s because I fear what I can’t control. I also don’t like feeling helpless. I don’t like not knowing what to do in a situation. While they are much healthier than they were as young children, it doesn’t take much for that fear to resurface.

A couple of weeks ago, our state had its first case of the Coronavirus. And it didn’t take place in some big city location. It wasn’t in a town or place I’d never been. It didn’t happen to a person I could feel passing sympathy for and then move on—as I might when hearing about a tragedy on the evening news. It happened in the suburbs, in our little homeschool program one of my kids attends. A fellow student was tested positive. The school was closed until the fourteen day window passed and those who were in contact with the student were quarantined.

My son did not have contact with the student so I did not anticipate him getting sick, but we stayed home anyway, mostly out of care for others. There was so much fear and unknown about the virus that I knew once people heard about it, they would not want my son to be around them. While we were homebound, my son came down with flu-like symptoms and I felt that momma-fear kick in. Could it be the virus or perhaps the flu? What if his asthma flares up as a result? The last time he had the flu, we ended up in the ER. I felt anxiety grow as I tried to figure out what to do. Because of our association with the school, we had difficulty finding a place to have him tested, but the pediatrician managed to find a hospital which had all the necessary gear and equipment to do so. It was a memorable experience and I am grateful for the care and precaution provided by the doctors and nurses. Within a few hours we learned he had the flu and the next day, we learned he did not have the Corona Virus.

A lot has happened in the past two weeks. Since then, most things have been cancelled, including speaking engagements I scheduled many months ago. All the schools around us are closed. Churches are closed. There’s a lot of uncertainty for all of us. Should we go here or there? Should we cancel this or that? What does it mean for work? What will happen to the economy?

What if? What then?

As I wrote in my post last week, I always turn to the Psalms when my emotions overwhelm me. When I fear the unknown, I can’t help but think of David, hiding for fear of his life in the caves of En Ghedi. I had the opportunity to visit En Ghedi during our trip to Israel a couple of years ago. It was a surreal and emotional experience, seeing the place I had imagined in my mind while I studied and wrote A Heart Set Free. While on the run from King Saul, David hid there and wrote Psalm 57.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” (vv.1-2)

This psalm is a helpful reminder for all of us as we find ourselves homebound, stuck in our own caves, anxious and wondering about the future. Our refuge is is found in God. Let us cry out to him.

I wrote this prayer a few years ago and updated it to reflect our current circumstances:

A Prayer in Fearful and Uncertain Times

Father in Heaven,

I come before you with a distracted heart and mind. I turn on the news and feel anxious. Each channel is the same. I scroll through social media and I see uncertainty in every post. I am grieved for the losses across the world. I am frightened for those who are susceptible to this virus. I am filled with uncertainty and worry about what the future holds. What about those who can’t afford to take off from work? What about those who are weak and vulnerable? Will this be a short term hurdle or a bigger problem than we imagine? 

My mind starts spinning and swirling and I get caught up in all the what if’s of life. So I come before you as the psalmist did, with raw honesty. I come before you with all these thoughts and emotions and lay them before you. I come before you because you are King and you rule all things. I come before you because you are my Father, my Abba. You adopted me as your child and have given me every privilege that comes with being a part of your family. I come before you because you are my merciful Savior. You alone can rescue me from fear, sin, temptation, and all the unknowns. I come before you because you are my Provider, Jehovah Jireh. You created all things and own all things. All I have comes from your generous hands. I come before you because you are my Redeemer. You alone can redeem and restore all that is broken in my life and in the world around me.

Forgive me for turning my gaze from you and looking at the worrisome things happening around me. Forgive me for forgetting that you are with me. Forgive me for not trusting. Forgive me for not crying out to you sooner but trying to conquer my fears in my own strength. Forgive me for not living in complete dependence upon you.

I pray for the vulnerable. I pray you would protect them. I pray you would provide for those in need. I pray you would raise up the church and help us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, meeting the needs in our communities. I pray we would be happy to be uncomfortable for the sake of others. I pray you would stop this virus in its tracks.

In my own life and heart, give me a peace that passes all understanding. Though I don't know what will happen in the future, help me to trust you. Help me to remember that you are not surprised by all the chaos and uncertainty. Help me to remember that nothing will happen today that takes you off guard. You are not asleep or too busy but are actively involved in every detail. Help me to wait and watch for your glory. Help me to obey and do the right thing in the moment, knowing you are there in all the moments to come. 

Help me to see you as greater than all my fears.

Most of all, help me to remember Jesus, the One who cried out in the garden on the night he was betrayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 13:46). I thank you that "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Even now, he intercedes for me—what a marvelous truth!

Be my refuge “until the storms of destruction pass by.” You are my true place of safety.

I pray all this in the name of Jesus, amen.

When Fear Motivates Us

When I was a child, my grandmother would often go to our local mall before it opened and walk laps around both floors. If ever I went there to shop in the morning hours, I was sure to see her at some point on her rounds. One day, while walking at the mall, she fell and broke her shoulder. After months of healing, she never went back. I often thought it strange that she let a fall keep her from returning to an activity she so faithfully enjoyed.

Since then, I've experienced various things in my life that have given me pause. Whether it was breaking my arm roller skating and not wanting to put on skates again or being hurt by a friend and finding it difficult to trust others, I now understand what kept my grandmother from returning to her walks around the mall. It's hard not to look at present experiences through the lens of the past. It's hard not to react to difficult circumstances by building protective walls and barriers to keep out future hardship. It's hard not to react to the pains of life with avoidance, control, or fear.

Reactions to Life

There are many things that happen to us in our life that we react to. It could be something as simple as a fall or as complex and heartbreaking as losing someone we love. When painful circumstances cut into our lives, we remember that pain and work to keep it from happening again. Makes sense, right? Who wouldn't want a repeat of some hardship?

Yet in our efforts to protect ourselves from future harm, we may avoid things, places, and circumstances. In the face of the unknown and uncertain, we might be over-protective, cautious, and fearful. Our decisions, goals, and plans center around what we worry could happen. We may even attempt to control all the details of our lives in the hopes that we can keep ourselves and the ones we love safe from harm.

Many of us also develop life habits and patterns out of reaction to the circumstances in our lives. These patterns can take many forms and be unique to each of us. From the things we choose to eat or not eat, to the places we live or don't live; from the relationships we keep or don't keep, to the way we spend or don't spend our money; from the way we keep our homes to the way we raise our children; from the way we express ourselves to the way we use our time—all of these things can develop as reactions to the circumstances of our lives.

I've seen this time and again in my own life. Whether it's being extra cautious with my children's health after having gone through two surgeries with them or being slow to trust people because of being hurt in the past, I too live a reactionary life. I expect the worst, avoid failure at all costs, and am always on the lookout for the next disaster to roll in and crash into my life.

God's Response

Though we are often reactionary to the circumstances of life, thankfully, God doesn't react to us. He doesn't say "Oh, she's being too rebellious, I better tighten those reigns and take away all the good things in her life." He doesn't look at our weak faith, our doubts, our worries, and give up on us, give us the silent treatment, or a guilt trip. He doesn't react to our ongoing battles with sin in vengeance or wrath.

For those who are in Christ, God doesn't react to us. He responds.

He responded by sending his Son.

Jesus came as the answer to sin. He came to do what we could not do, perfectly obey God in every thought, word, and deed. He came to face our greatest fears and bear our deepest sorrows. He came in response to our reactionary lives where we try to do life on our own, attempt to be our own gods and goddesses, and try to control everything that happens to us. He came to set us free. 

Because of Jesus, we don't have to live reactionary lives. We don't have to always be on edge, worrying about our safety and security. We don't have to be motivated by fear of reliving past experiences. We don't have to always put other people to the test, to see if they really are trustworthy. We don't have to always expect the worst.

The reality is, living a reactionary life is not really living at all. Always being on alert and filled with fears and worry about the future steals our joy from the present. Being over-protective, controlling, and on edge doesn't actually do anything to change our circumstances. When we build our lives around what could happen, we fail to trust the One who made us, who loves us, and who suffered and died for us. 

Instead of reacting to life, we too can respond. We can respond to what Christ has done for us in love, worship, and trust. We can rest and cease our striving to make our lives work. We can give Christ all our burdens, sorrows, and fears. We can believe that his intentions toward us are good and are for our good. And if it comes, we can accept a trial because we know that God is sovereign and that he knows just what we need. We can endure rejection from others because we know Christ was rejected for our sake. We can face the heartaches and sorrows of this world, knowing that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.

If you've lived a reactionary life for far too long, look to Christ. Stand at the foot of the cross and see his response to your sin, sorrow, suffering, and shame. Repent of how you have reacted to life and pray for grace to respond in trust. Receive God's response of grace to you with joy and gladness. Relish with wonder the peace he gives that passes all understanding. And give thanks to the One who will never react toward you but always responds with love and grace.

Life Lived in the In-Between

I don’t know about you, but my life hasn't always turned out like I anticipated. I didn't experience the bliss of motherhood that the baby shampoo commercials promised. My dream job wasn't such a dream after all. The house that was supposed to be better than the last, turned out to be just as imperfect and broken. And no matter how many how-to books I've read, I still struggle in relationships, in my role as a wife and mother, and in organizing my life.

The truth is, life is filled with failed expectations. We pursue after dreams only to find that they weren't what we thought they'd be. Relationships let us down. Our bodies let us down. We let ourselves down. That's because life is not as it should be. We live in a broken and fallen world where life is disappointing. It often doesn't "work" or go as planned. We sin and are sinned against.

When life is disappointing, I often ask myself: how should I respond? Do I make lemonade from my challenges and view life from Pollyanna rimmed glasses, denying the harsh realities of life? Or do I fully taste the sourness of this fallen world and just accept it like it is? Do I demand life work my way? Or do I lock myself in my house, fearful of the next disappointment and failure?

Or is there perhaps another way to view life altogether?

A Holy Tension

Have you ever watched a tight rope walker? We once went on a vacation to the mountains of Northern California. While hiking in Yosemite, we came across a group of brave hikers. They hung a slackline across a deep crevasse and walked across it. One miss-step and the hiker would fall thousands of feet to the ground below. I couldn’t even watch because just the thought of what they were doing made me nauseous.

But in many ways, our lives as Christians are like walking on a slackline.

Like someone walking across a rope, we live out a holy tension. We are called to live in the world, but not of the world. Because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross for our sins, we are dead to the power of sin, yet not completely free from its presence. We are called to both be dependent upon Christ (John 15:5) and to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).

In fact, as long as we live on this earth and until Christ returns, we live in what theologians call the “already-not yet." We are in an in-between time, where life is not one-dimensional. It's not as simple as making lemonade from the bitter experiences of life. Rather, life is an intertwined experience of joy and pain, tears and laughter, beauty and bitterness. We can't accept things as they are, but we can't despair as though we have no hope. We cry in sorrow over the horrors that sin has brought, yet we have joy, knowing Christ came to make all things new.

This is the reality of the Christian life. A co-mingling of seemingly disparate conditions. A holy tension of life lived in-between the already and the not yet. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul described this holy tension: "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (8-9).

When I read Paul’s description, I wonder, how can that be? Because when I feel despair, that's all I feel. It overshadows everything else. When I am afraid, fear takes the driver's seat in all my decisions. And to be honest, joy seems all too far away to be co-mingled with anything else.

So how do we live out this holy tension? How do we live in this already/not-yet time in history?

Walking the Holy Tension

It is through Christ's life, death, and resurrection that this holy tension makes sense. And it is through the power of the gospel that it is possible to live in the in-between.

The gospel tells us that God became flesh and dwelt among us. The Maker and Creator of all things entered this sinful broken world and lived life as a human. He was tempted just as we are tempted, yet never sinned. He experienced all the heartaches and pains of this life, yet obeyed and glorified God in all things. Because he was sinless, he could take on our sins as the spotless Lamb of God. Christ was punished in our place, and bore the full wrath of God for us. After three days in the grave, he rose victorious, ensuring our own resurrection at the end of days.

This is why we are comforted in the midst of affliction: because Christ was afflicted for us. Though we may be persecuted or rejected by others, we can stand confident knowing we are accepted by God because Christ was rejected in our place. We can have joy in the midst of our sorrow, because we know that the Man of Sorrow's bore all our burdens at the cross. We can face the disappointments of life with hope because we know that one day sin, sorrow, and disappointment will be no more. We can repent over our sin and feel freedom because we know Christ became sin for us. We can live without shame because we know God will never leave us or forsake us.

Yes, life is disappointing. We can't deny it or pretend otherwise. Because of the Fall, we will continue to experience disappointments, sorrows, and failed expectations. People will continue to sin against us, and we’ll continue to sin against them. We will face hardships, challenges, and broken dreams. Yet, we do not live like those who have no hope. We continue on in this seemingly paradoxical life, walking a holy tension, balancing life in the already/not-yet, through the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Because of who Christ is and what he has done for us, we can live life in the in-between. Because we know whose we are. We know true and abiding joy is found not in circumstances or things, but in our Maker and Redeemer. We also know the end of the story; we know there’s more to come. In keeping our eyes focused on our hope in eternity, we can live in the in-between and remain "afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair."

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Photo by Leio McLaren (@leiomclaren) on Unsplash

Three Things to Remember When You Fear the Future

The future and I have a love/hate relationship with each other.

There are times in life when I view the future with excitement. Things I've planned and worked for are about to come to fruition and I watch with anticipation as they unfold before my eyes—like when I completed a degree program, got married, or had a child. In those times, I love the future, and even strive to speed up its arrival—as if that were possible!

But there are other times in life when the future is not exciting at all. Instead, the future is dark with shadows and it seems to hide its intentions. I can't see what lies ahead and it fills me with dread and fear. The unknown keeps me awake at night thinking through all the "What if?" scenarios. "What if ____ happens? Then what will I do?" In those times, I do what I can to keep the future at bay—as if I ever could!

I'm in the midst of one of those "what if?" seasons right now. It's hard not to worry and fret about the unknown. It's hard not to fear.  

And it can be hard to trust God with the future.

But I want to. I want to be able to say with the psalmist, "Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (Psalm 46:2-3) I want to look at the future with anticipation and hope—no matter what lies ahead—knowing that God is my refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). 

Perhaps you are in a similar season where the future looks fearful. You don't know what the future has in store and you fear you will be unprepared. You fear you aren't strong enough to endure whatever trial or difficult circumstance awaits. You fear the future will hold something too hard, too difficult, too painful.

In our battles against fear, we need to remember three things:

God Holds the Future

Our God is sovereign over all things. Every molecule is under his control. He determines even those things that seem random in our eyes (Proverbs 16:33). He rules over the hearts of man (Proverbs 21:1). We may make our plans, but it is God who directs our paths (Proverbs 16:9). God's purposes and plans always come to pass. Nothing and no one can interfere with his plan. "For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose" (Isaiah 46:9-10). And whatever does come to pass is God's plan. This means that while our future is unknown to us, it is not unknown to God. When a difficult circumstance enters my life, I often repeat to myself, "God is not surprised by this." It's a refrain that reminds me that while I may be taken off guard, he is not. And because he is not surprised, it means everything is happening just as he planned it.

From the WCF Chapter V:

"God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy."

God is Good

God is good. "The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works" (Psalm 145:7). He cannot do anything that is not good. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). He never changes; there is no "shadow due to change." He is the Father of lights. In spiritual terms, darkness implies evil; there is no darkness in God. He is always good. As fallen creatures, it is hard for us to fathom what that means. Even our good deeds are often tainted by wrong motives. But God always does what is right. He is the source of all that is good and everything he gives us is good. 

You Can Trust Your Future to God

Because the future is in God's hands and no one else's and because he is good and only does what is good, we can trust our future to him. We can rest in his sovereign care for us. The trials and circumstances we fear, while not good in and of themselves, are always used by God for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28-29). He is at work in us, making us into the image of his Son. The work involved in that process can be difficult and sometimes even painful work, but it is good work. And the end result will be glorious when his work is complete. We can look to the greatest suffering—our Savior's death on the cross—and see how it was used for good, to set us free from sin and bring us into right relationship with God. 

Yes, the future can be frightening. But God rules and reigns over it. While we don't know what will happen, he does. And because he is a good God, we can trust our future to him. We can know that whatever happens is not outside his providence and control.  No matter how challenging or difficult or hard the future might be, God will use it for our good. He will make us like Christ. 

God's Grace in Our Fears

A  new year is always a time of reflection and thinking back about what took place in the prior year. We often think about what we learned and hopefully how we want to grow and change as a result. For me, last year held a season of fear. You may remember I dealt with a health problem. I had a growth on my thyroid that the doctor's thought might be cancerous but were not able to determine from the biopsy. At the end of July, I had thyroid surgery to remove the growth (and half my thyroid).

The entire situation was disconcerting, worrisome, and at times, frightening. Certainly, all the medical procedures were no fun. But also the thought of cancer was frightening. It was a fresh reminder of my age, stage of life, and of the way time continues to sift through my hands. 

There is much to fear in this fallen world. Sickness, natural disasters, violence, job loss, relational conflict, just to name a few. The unknown future can be frightening. Such fear paralyzes. It's like a heavy cloud that envelopes us, suffocating, and blinding us to everything else.

Tracing Grace

Situations like mine, and perhaps like the one you are in right now, require extra grace. Grace to know that God is with us and will not leave us. Grace to believe and trust in his goodness. Grace to rest in God's sovereign care.

So that was my prayer last year: for God to give me grace. I needed him to guide me in the unknown. I prayed that I would see his hand at work—that I would trace his grace, gathering it together like a strand of lights to light the way in the darkness. 

God was faithful. 

I found friends and family who prayed for me and told me so.

I discovered kind doctors and nurses who spoke with confidence and reassurance.

I felt peace when I least expected it.

God provided even the smallest details like friends to watch my kids while we were at the hospital.

Not only did I see his grace in my circumstances, I also remembered his love and faithfulness to me in the past. I've experienced many fearful events and unknowns in my life and God has never failed me. He has been a rock and fortress time and time again. In all the little challenges and the big trials of life, God has repeatedly proven himself faithful. And in my greatest need of all, forgiveness of sin, he gave me his own son.

Because he gave me Jesus, how could I think he would fail to be faithful in anything else? 

Psalm 46 and Fear

As you know, I love the Psalms. One psalm I've always paused at in reading is Psalm 46. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling."

For someone who is often weakened by fear, it's hard to imagine not having any fear in the face of something terrible. The important thing to notice is that the psalmist doesn't say, "even when the very worst happens, if you have strong faith and believe really hard, you won't have any fear." Rather, the psalmist says that because God is our refuge and strength and help in trouble, we will not fear.

The psalmist also remembered who God is in his power and holiness: "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." God's presence keeps his church safe. This passage reminds me of Paul's assuring words that nothing can separate us from the love of God for us in Christ (Romans 8:38-39).

The psalmist then remembered what God has done in the past: "Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire." 

Because God is faithful and gracious, because he is our Rock and Refuge, because of who he is and what he has done, the psalm concludes: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of  Jacob is our fortress. Selah."

Soon after my surgery, I learned that I did not have cancer. (In case you were wondering). But I know that life in this fallen world will include more unknowns and more fears. The psalmist reminds me that God is with his people. He is our help. He is our refuge. Even when the world seems flipped upside down and even when the worst happens, God rules and reigns. He is faithful. The God of Jacob is a covenant keeping God; we belong to him.

God's grace is always present in our fears. 

What the New Year Brings

The new year comes bearing gifts.

For some, it is the gift of relief—relief that the last year is over. For others, a new year brings hope—hope for the future and for a better year than the last. A new year can also bring anticipation for what's ahead. Perhaps there's a new adventure to look forward to. Or maybe we have goals for this year and look ahead to their completion. 

Often, when we consider our expectations for the new year, we tend to plan for and look forward to good things. We anticipate fun activities, new experiences, and increased blessings. We set goals and make plans to attain the things and experiences we've long desired. We resolve to make things better and improve ourselves and our lives.

Sometimes though, like the ugly sweater or new appliance we never wanted, the new year brings gifts that aren't desired. Fear. Uncertainty. Dread. Just the thought of the unknown future can bring worry or paralyzing fear. If that last year was especially hard, we may dread the thought of another difficult year. Or maybe we do know what to expect in 2018. Maybe we have a dreaded medical test or procedure scheduled. Or we are certain a relationship we've tried so hard to keep together will finally fall apart. Or that bill will finally come due and we know we have no way to pay it. 

When I consider my own thoughts about this new year, part of me accepts the gift of sweet anticipation and looks forward to the experiences that lie ahead. Yet another part of me trembles a bit with fear at the unknown. The truth is, I know that life is filled with hardship and challenges. I don't expect 2018 to be easy and carefree. And maybe that's why there's fear, because I know some challenge, obstacle, or hardship likely lie ahead.  

But what if this year you and I embrace all that the new year brings? What if we looked forward to everything God wants to do in and through us in 2018?

Even if it's hard?

And even if the story He's written for us this year involves more challenges, obstacles, and trials?

James tells us to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." (1:2) As we look ahead into 2018, anticipating what God has planned for us, we need to face that future with joy. Not because trials are fun. Not because we want additional heartache in our life. Rather, we rejoice in what those trials produce in us, "the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:3,4). 

We find joy in knowing what trials produce in us. God uses challenges and hardships to make us more and more like Christ. And what did our Savior's life look like? One of suffering. Paul wrote, "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 4:10-11, NIV). Paul was willing to do whatever it took, even enduring trials, to become like Christ. May that be our goal as well for this year, to pursue Christ and become like him, no matter what it takes.

We face the new year with joy also because we know who rules and reigns over our trials. We can trust that each and every obstacle, whatever trial we endure, and any heartache we face, are all given to us by God for our good. He doesn't use challenges or trials in a willy-nilly way, with no purpose or meaning. He doesn't even do so out of anger and punishment. Rather, he uses trials for our discipline and training. They are used to strip away the remaining sin in us and shape us into the image of Christ. Such trials show us our need for God and his grace. They teach us humility and dependence. They are opportunities for us to grow in faith. They also show to a watching world the power of God in weakness, bringing him honor and glory. 

Challenges and trials come to us from a good and righteous Father who only does what is good and right. We can trust his purposes and plans for us because he is holy and just. He knows exactly what we need to teach and train us in the way of righteousness. He knows just what we need to be made holy.

After all, we are his children, adopted through the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. We are his beloved—loved by God as much as he loves the Son. He is gracious to us and no matter what the future holds, we are not left alone in it. He is with us, giving us peace in anxiety, strength in the face of suffering, and grace to endure. He also gives us brothers and sisters to walk with us: encouraging us when we stumble, helping us when we fall, and remaining with us to the finish line.  

As we open this gift of a new year, may we accept it with hope and joy, rather than fear and despair. Because we know the sender of all gifts. And since he gave us the greatest gift of all—life through his Son—how can we not trust him with the gift of a new year? 

How about you? What are your thoughts about the new year?