It’s Ash Wednesday–a season of fasting, repenting, and remembering that we came from dust and will return to dust.
A period of prayer and repentance seems appropriate given the events of the past week and the uncertainty it stirs in our hearts.
I’ve lived through periods of uncertainty in my life. Probably the most difficult was during my second pregnancy when we received a devastating prenatal diagnosis.
We didn’t know if our daughter would live until birth. She did.
We didn’t know if she would come home from the hospital. She did.
We didn’t know how long she would live. One month.
Living with this level of uncertainty shaped me. For months, I had no way of knowing what would happen. I learned to live one day at a time (James 4:13-15).
You probably have your own stories of living in the midst of uncertainty.
But what happens when the whole world is simultaneously living through a period of uncertainty?
That’s what we’ve been discovering over the past two years.
Prior to the pandemic, we were really good at making plans. Weddings, vacations, graduations, baby showers, dinner parties, birthday celebrations. When the pandemic hit, planning became next to impossible.
Technically, we recognized that the future was unpredictable, but functionally we lived as though we were in control.
When the shutdowns came, we were all forced to live one day at a time.
We adjusted because we had no choice, but it got old fast.
Eventually, life began to return to “normal” in some parts of the world, but new crises continued to emerge. Covid variants prolonged the pandemic. War broke out in Eastern Europe.
As much as I wish we could have more certainty about the future, I think it’s better to be prepared for more disruption along the way. From ongoing supply chain shortages to political polarization to inflation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we will face troubles (John 16:33).
Instead of letting these uncertainties overwhelm us, we can find confidence in Jesus’ promise that he has overcome the world. This isn’t a Pollyanna approach to life. Jesus has defeated death.
My encouragement to you today is to be still for a few minutes and reflect on what you’ve learned about God’s faithfulness during the past two years (or another period of uncertainty).
As people who live on this side of the resurrection, we know that death has been defeated. May we be winsome, prayerful for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, and steadfast in hope as we live in uncertain times.
(Today’s post was adapted from one I shared on Aug 4, 2021.)
Helpful podcasts I listened to this week:
Everything Just Changed: Elizabeth Neumann on Ukraine and the Power of Disinformation
Very encouraging given these times of uncertainty. Thank you!