There is a balance in looking to and planning for the future on the one hand, and fearing what will or may happen. What we can control is actually very little, and that very small part should be done with God’s wisdom.
God is in charge of controlling everything else. We can trust Him to do good since we are His creation. As the Psalmist says, “How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee.” (Psalm 31:19)
How to look at the Future
Living in fear and being anxious of the future is not consistent with being a follower of Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit we have peace, just as Jesus promised:
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)
However, we still have times when we are troubled about our life and what is coming. Our first concern might be with the basics; food, shelter, and clothing. But it could also be things on the horizon that are unknown or that we think are unpleasant.
We will see in this article that having a Biblical perspective will give us peace. Our faith, along with Biblical wisdom, will allow us to contend with our fear the future.
The Basics
Jesus addressed anxiety in our lives in the last part of Matthew 6. He explains that our treasure should be in heaven instead of earthly material goods which can capture our heart. By serving God and trusting Him instead of riches, we can have our treasure in His kingdom instead of on earth. This is important because we cannot serve both God and riches.
Jesus is teaching that God provides for us, and therefore we should not be anxious. Jesus said in Matthew 6:27, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit1 to his life’s span?” Then Jesus concludes in Matthew 6:34,
“Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
By faith, we can find rest and peace knowing that God provides for us. Anxiety today about future provision will not add anything except loss of peace.
On the Horizon
Those events or circumstances that lie in our future may cause us worry. Dreading a situation creates turmoil and robs our peace and joy.
As we already saw, Jesus tells us to not be anxious about our basic needs. This also applies to events on the horizon. But the Bible does not stop there, and gives us wisdom and hope to deal with the future.
Wisdom, Honey, and Gold
Wisdom and hope are compared to the taste of honey and the effects on our physical body. Honey is healthy for us. It is high in antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties, can soothe coughs and sore throats, and helps treat wounds and burns among other things.
Even though honey is good, registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD says, “Honey is still liquid sugar, and like all other forms of sugar, it should be consumed in moderation.”2 With wisdom, we should have no such concern about getting too much!
The psalmist says that the words of God are to be treasured above fine gold and honey. Psalm 19:10 says that,
“They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”
Hope
Even with all of the benefits of honey, wisdom is even better because it feeds the soul and gives us hope.
Proverbs 24:13-14 tells us,
“My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
The woman in Proverbs 31 does the work that God has for her today, so that she has hope for the future. Proverbs 31:25:
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future.”
Wisdom and God’s word enable us to navigate our future. We learn wisdom and read the Word in the present so that we have hope for today as well as tomorrow.
No Hope
Faith in God gives us hope, but the wicked have no hope. Proverbs 24:19-20 declares,
“Do not fret yourself because of evildoers, or be envious of the wicked; for there will be no future for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.”
Conclusion
Whether we worry about our immediate needs, or some future event, the scriptures instruct us to not fret and to cast all our cares on Him. He promises a future filled with hope which is better than the riches of the world.
1 A cubit is approximately 18 inches.
2 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-benefits-of-honey-how-to-incorporate-it-into-your-diet 8/28/24