Charles Dickens famously wrote, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” The year 2020 might be described in the same way. Some of the “best” has been a slowed down pace of life, more time to consider what is truly meaningful, new ways of relating to family and friends, greater opportunities to serve others, and seeing communities band together for the greater good. But the challenges have been clear too. Uncertainty; anxiety; political and moral polarization; personal financial strain; racial unrest; rising tensions at home, school and work. These things and much more are making this a challenging time emotionally and spiritually.
Changing times can bring fear and uncertainty. “Will this end?” “What does the future look like?” We may find ourselves thinking, “Everything is so out of control!” Where do we turn when we start feeling like this?
First, we remember that God doesn’t change. God wrote through the prophet Malachi, “For I the LORD do not change…” (Malachi 3:6). And the author of Hebrews wrote, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Though the world around us is in disarray, God remains steadfast, faithful, good, wise, all-knowing and ever-present. The Scripture refers to God as a rock, a strong tower and immovable. These are all pictures of the stability that we find in the never-changing God.
Secondly, we realize that God is working His plan. Isaiah 46:10 quotes God saying, “My counsel will stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” Though it may not always be obvious to the human eye, God has always had a plan to redeem and restore this broken world. He is using even the darkest times to work that plan toward its final completion.
Along with that truth we also know that God’s plan is always good. He was working for good when He promised the Israelites in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Though that was a promise for those people, at that time, He makes it clear that He has good plans for His children today in Romans 8:28 saying, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” True, “good” doesn’t always mean what we think is best. But God’s good is infinitely better than anything we can imagine.
Finally, because these things are true, we can have hope. David wrote in Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.” Rock – unchanging. Fortress – protector. Deliverer – one who saves. This is the One in whom we put our trust.
Our confidence is never found in our circumstances, even if they seem stable. Our confidence is in knowing that our God who is unchanging, is working His good plan to accomplish His good purpose and that in Him we have hope. In these challenging times, we can hear these words of the Lord and take great comfort, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
If you need help navigating life, reach out to Hillside Biblical Counseling. We want to help you apply God’s unchanging truth to your situation. Find more helpful articles here. For information about our counseling ministry, or to schedule an in-person or Zoom counseling session click here.