What Does the Future Look Like in a World That Feels So Uncertain? - Father Paris Haines

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT TOMORROW?

What Does the Future Look Like in a World That Feels So Uncertain?

Scripture:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”— Matthew 6:34

Other readings: Matthew 6:25–34; Psalm 46:1–3; Isaiah 41:10; Philippians 4:6–7

Introduction

Are you worried about what is happening in the world?

Are you worried about tomorrow?

Are you worried about next week?

Perhaps you are wondering:

What does the future look like?

We live in a world where uncertainty seems to be everywhere.

We turn on the television and see wars, political division, economic pressures, violence, natural disasters and people struggling simply to make ends meet.

We look at our own lives and we have our own worries.

Will I have enough money?

Will my family be alright?

What will happen with my job?

What will happen to our community?

What will happen to our country?

What will happen tomorrow?

And sometimes, if we are honest, the future can frighten us.

We can become so focused on what might happen tomorrow that we forget to live today.

But Jesus speaks directly into that fear.

He says:

“Do not worry about tomorrow.”

Notice Jesus doesn't say that tomorrow doesn't matter.

He doesn't say that problems don't exist.

He doesn't tell us to pretend everything is wonderful.

Instead, Jesus reminds us of something incredibly important:

Tomorrow belongs to God.

1. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS

One of the hardest things about being human is that we want certainty.

We want to know what is coming.

We want guarantees.

We want to know that everything will be alright.

But none of us knows what tomorrow will bring.

James reminds us:

“You do not know what tomorrow will bring.”— James 4:14

And perhaps that sounds frightening.

But it can also be liberating.

Because if we don't know tomorrow, then we don't need to carry tomorrow today.

How often do we suffer twice?

We suffer because of something that has happened.

And then we suffer again because we imagine something that might happen.

We create scenarios in our minds.

“What if?”

“What if this happens?”

“What if that goes wrong?”

“What if everything changes?”

And before tomorrow has even arrived, we have allowed tomorrow to steal today's peace.

Jesus says:

Don't carry tomorrow before tomorrow arrives.

2. GOD IS ALREADY IN TOMORROW

Think about that for a moment.

We may not know what tomorrow holds.

But God does.

We may not know what next week will bring.

But God does.

We may not know what the next year will look like.

But God does.

The future is unknown to us, but it is not unknown to God.

That is why Psalm 46 says:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Not sometimes.

Not only when life is going well.

An ever-present help.

God is present when the world feels safe.

God is present when the world feels frightening.

God is present when we understand what is happening.

And God is present when we don't understand anything at all.

3. LOOK AT THE WORLD — BUT DON'T LET THE WORLD CONTROL YOUR HEART

There is nothing wrong with being concerned about the world.

Christians should care.

We should care about suffering.

We should care about injustice.

We should care about war.

We should care about poverty.

We should care about loneliness.

We should care about our neighbours.

We should care about our communities.

But there is a difference between concern and fear.

Concern can motivate us to act.

Fear can paralyse us.

Concern says:

“What can I do?”

Fear says:

“There is nothing I can do.”

Concern takes our worries to God.

Fear allows our worries to take control of us.

And perhaps today we need to ask ourselves:

Who is controlling my heart — God, or my fear of the future?

4. WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE TODAY

Jesus says:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

There is something beautiful about that teaching.

Jesus brings us back to today.

Today I can pray.

Today I can love.

Today I can forgive.

Today I can help someone.

Today I can encourage somebody who is struggling.

Today I can make a difference.

Today I can tell someone:

“You are not alone.”

We cannot change yesterday.

We cannot control tomorrow.

But we can choose what we do today.

And sometimes the greatest act of faith is simply to wake up in the morning and say:

“Lord, I don't know what today will bring, but I know You will be with me.”

5. GOD DOES NOT PROMISE AN EASY FUTURE

There is an important truth we sometimes forget.

Christian faith does not mean that nothing bad will ever happen.

Jesus never promised His followers a trouble-free life.

In fact, He said:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”— John 16:33

Notice the honesty of Jesus.

“You will have trouble.”

But He doesn't stop there.

He says:

“Take heart.”

Why?

Because trouble does not have the final word.

Fear does not have the final word.

War does not have the final word.

Death does not have the final word.

Despair does not have the final word.

God does.

6. WHAT IF THE FUTURE IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE EXPECT?

Perhaps one of our greatest fears is that the future won't turn out the way we planned.

But faith means trusting God even when life doesn't follow our plans.

Sometimes we pray:

“God, change this situation.”

And sometimes the situation changes.

But sometimes the prayer God answers is:

“God, change me so I can face this situation.”

God may not remove every storm.

But He promises to walk through the storm with us.

Psalm 23 doesn't say:

“I will never walk through the valley.”

It says:

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

The promise isn't that there will never be a valley.

The promise is:

You won't walk through it alone.

7. SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?

If we look only at the news, the future can look frightening.

If we look only at politics, the future can look uncertain.

If we look only at the economy, the future can look difficult.

If we look only at humanity, sometimes the future can look hopeless.

But Christians are called to look somewhere else.

Look to God.

Because our hope isn't ultimately found in governments.

It isn't found in money.

It isn't found in technology.

It isn't found in human power.

Our hope is found in Jesus Christ.

And that gives us something the world desperately needs:

Hope.

Not the shallow hope that says, “Everything will be perfect.”

But the deeper Christian hope that says:

“Whatever happens, God is with us.”

8. DO NOT LET FEAR STEAL YOUR FAITH

Perhaps there is somebody listening today who has spent too much time worrying about tomorrow.

Perhaps you have allowed the future to become so frightening that you have forgotten the God who holds the future.

Perhaps you need to hear these words today:

You are not alone.

God has not abandoned you.

God has not forgotten you.

God has not lost control.

And whatever tomorrow brings, God will still be God.

Isaiah 41:10 says:

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.”

That is God's promise.

Not:

“Nothing bad will ever happen.”

But:

“I am with you.”

Conclusion — ONE DAY AT A TIME

So, are you worried about what is happening in the world?

Perhaps you should be concerned.

But don't allow concern to become fear.

Are you worried about tomorrow?

Give tomorrow to God.

Are you worried about next week?

Give next week to God.

Are you frightened by what the future might hold?

Remember:

The future is not in your hands.

But it is in God's hands.

So live today.

Love today.

Pray today.

Forgive today.

Help somebody today.

Encourage somebody today.

Be kind today.

And when tomorrow comes, face tomorrow with God.

Because we don't need to know everything that is going to happen.

We simply need to know Who walks with us.

And perhaps that is the greatest message of all:

We may not know what tomorrow holds...

but we know who holds tomorrow.

Amen.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with all our worries, fears and uncertainties.

We worry about our families.

We worry about our communities.

We worry about our country.

We worry about the world.

And sometimes, Lord, we worry about things that have not even happened yet.

Forgive us when our fear becomes greater than our faith.

Help us to remember that tomorrow belongs to You.

Give us the strength to live faithfully today.

Give us courage when the world frightens us.

Give us compassion when others are suffering.

Give us wisdom when we don't know what to do.

And give us peace when our minds are filled with worry.

Lord, we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

But we know that You will be there.

So today, we place our future into Your hands.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our hope, our strength and our Saviour.

Amen.