Into the Unknown

Over the last few months life has been a complete whirlwind! No one can prepare you for what we are currently living in. I never in my life dreamed that I would have to rethink and replan everything! But as I reflect on the past few months I have realized one thing. Control is something I/we fight for but in reality we are not in control. If Covid time has brought anything to light it is this: we are not in control. Everyday is entering into an unknown. I entered into an unknown when everything in our world shut down. How do I pastor God's people in the unknown? What is today going to bring? Will there be changes again today? Good ones, bad ones? 

In the midst of all the unknowns, the loss of control, we have two options before us... push through or succumb to the chaos. What we are living in right now is literally a dark hallway and we either push forward to the light or drown in the darkness of the hallway. 

The first few months during this unknown I sat in the dark hallway and cried out Psalm 88 which ends with the verse: "You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend." I sat in this! In the unknowns of what tomorrow would bring I felt the walls close in and life completely feel like it was spinning out of control and into the dark. But as I kept wallowing in Psalm 88, I could hear a small still voice saying to me, "you are not here alone, I'm here. Give me your burdens, trust in my goodness and power, let me lead you through this."

Jesus was speaking to me as He sat in the dark with me. He was pointing me in the direction of the light at the end of the hallway. That light is His control in our life. It is His working in the midst of mess in our life. It is the letting go and letting God work through the unknown. 

Yes, life right now is full of unknowns. But that is how life has always been and will continue to be. I think we have forgotten that. Been so comfortable in life with what we had that we forgot that nothing tomorrow is fully known today. I was reminded over the last few months of truths and promises given by the Savior Jesus.

"Behold I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:20

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ... Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:25-34

As I have soaked in the words of Jesus, soaked in His promises that He never rescinds, I have grown to just let go of what I cannot control and let God lead in my life. I've clung to Him as He has led me through the dark hallway to the light. That is the good news for me, for us, today! Jesus loves us so much that He will sit in the dark with us and carrying us forward into the unknown! He never leaves, never forsakes, and never loses control of life. Is life all of a sudden easy? Trouble free? Absolutely not! 

What is key in life is this: We are not alone. Jesus is there in the rough roads, troubles with you. 

I mean He literally took on all the shame, humiliation, punishment, social isolation, abandonment, betrayal, loneliness, and even death on  a cross for YOU! To not only save you and give you life, but to understand and be with you in all that you go through and feel too! He did all of that to walk with you through the dark hallway into the light.

So walk forward today into the unknown with Jesus. Let go and let God. Rest in the Savior, and know you are not alone as you move from dark to light.

Cling, as I do, to this promise and truth:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Life is full of unknowns but you are known, loved, and surrounded by a God who wants to walk with you... walk with you into the unknown where He will make all things known in the end when you walk through life into victory!