Faith for the Future

by Pastor Loi Catubig, 3 years ago

How should we view the future? We should view the future as uncertain. This statement is not lack of faith. It is a statement based on the real characteristic of the future...

The Bible reveals that no human beings have the certainty of the future – only God. The Bible says, “13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16). The truth is, we may have idea what will happen in the future; or we may plan to do things in the future, but no human being has the absolute certainty of what will happen in the future - only God.

Talking about the new year, the reality is, we don’t know what will happen, or what the future holds for us – only God. But those who believe in the Lord, the uncertain future is not a bad situation. For us, the future is always good because God’s plan for us is good, and because the One Who holds the future is a good and powerful God. What God wants us to do about the uncertain future is to have faith in Him or to depend on Him, not on our own abilities. James 4:15 says, “Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” This is a clear Biblical teaching on what to do about the future.

The best attitude in facing the future is to have faith in the Lord, or to depend on Him. Faith for the future is called for (for two major reasons); 1) The future is uncertain, 2) Depending on our own abilities is ungodly and insufficient.  

One of the persons in the Bible who dealt the uncertainty of the future (with his faith) was Abraham. Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” The context of this verse is Abraham living in a place called Harran. And then one day, God told him to move to another place called Canaan. This verse says that Abraham did not know where God has called him to go. He did not know what kind of life was waiting for him there. But then, he obeyed and went! What he did was an act of faith. If we try to ask if Abraham did it quickly, most probably, it was not quick. I assume his faith has gone through a process. Most probably, he had questions in his mind; or he may had fear; or he viewed it as a tough situation considering the big adjustments that he has to make in moving into the different location. But eventually, he obeyed what the Lord had told him to do and go. In Genesis 12:1-5 we can read, “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.”

This text tells us about the details of how God called Abram to go to another place – Canaan. It also tells us how Abram obeyed the Lord. How his life went on after that? He went on and experienced the normal human life, experiencing earthly challenges. His life as a husband was tough - he was childless for many years, though he really was longing to have and heir. He experienced famine for a while. Those are normal rigors (hardships, severities) of human life. But in the long haul of his life, he enjoyed God’s favor. Eventually, God granted them children – Isaac; then Jacob came from Isaac; then the twelve brothers came from Jacob. All their offspring became nation Israel.

Back to the time when God had called Abram to move to another place, that place that he would go and the future for him and his wife there, were uncertain. But he obeyed God anyway. It was for his obedience that God blessed him.

If we apply this text in our present situation, our future is also uncertain. Why uncertain? That’s future as it is! But it does not mean it’s a bad situation. It is just challenging. We just have to trust God for our future. Let us hope for a blessed life in the future based not on our own abilities, but on God.  

In the future, we can definitely expect the normal rigors (hardships, severities) of human life. But God has His own way to fulfill His promises and good purposes in us. He will let us enjoy His favor. This is one of the best things in the life of faith – we have the hope of a blessed life in the future. Our future is always good because of what God will do. Let us face the future with faith. Our faith will lead us into a blessed life ahead. God blessed Abraham because of his faith.

What trusting God looks life? In Hebrews 11:1 we can read, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Yes, we are not certain of the future. But with faith, we can be certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Another person in the Bible who was able to see miracle because of faith was the sisters of Lazarus. When Jesus visited the sisters of Lazarus (Martha and Mary) after his death, Jesus told them that Lazarus would rise again (John 11:23). He asked Martha, “do you believe this?” Martha replied, “Yes, Lord . . .” (John 11:27). And the sisters (Martha and Mary) witnessed a miracle – their brother Lazarus rose again from the grave.

I expect God’s continuous blessings this year. Focus on God than the perils that lie ahead. God is like a piece of paper and the perils are just like a black dot on it.  

One day when a pastor was preaching in a church, he took a piece of paper and made a black mark in the center of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the congregation and asked them what they see. One person quickly replied, “it’s a black mark.” The preached replied, “you’re are right.” The preacher added, “what else do you see”? And there was complete silence. He added, “Don’t you see anything other than the black dot?” The congregation replied in loud chorus, “no.” Then the preacher said, “I’m really surprised you have completely overlooked the most important thing of all – the piece of paper.”

In life, we are often distracted by the “black dot” (the disappointments or painful experiences or any problem) and forget God and the blessings He would give. God and the good things that He can bring (the piece of paper) are more important than the adversities that monopolize our attention.

Another person once said, “As you travel down life’s pathway, may this ever be your goal; Keep your eyes upon the doughnut, not on the hole.”

Let us face the future with faith. We do not really know how the exact events in the future would happen. But with faith, we are heading to a blissful life this year. It was through faith that God had blessed Abraham before. It is through our faith that God will bless us this year.

There would be challenges in many forms, but God has His own way of bringing His blessings to us. Let us live by faith all the time. “. . .Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”  (Hebrews 11:1).