Goodbye Past. Hello Future. | Northstar Church

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. – Ecclesiastes 3:11

Fasten your seat belts. The future is coming fast. Too fast. We barely have time to reflect and learn from the past when new challenges cloud our present and our future. In Moana, Moana is concerned about the future on their island. As Christians, we wonder about the future. What will it hold? How can God use us to a greater degree? We are intrigued about the future and always want to know as much as we can about it. But as we often discover, the future is always unknown. Fortunately God understands this dynamic all too well. So when we come to the end of our ability to control that future, God is ready to step in. The fact that God controls the future, should give us comfort and hope even in uncertain and troubling times.

But how do we prepare for the future? It is easy to feel like “the sky is falling.” It is easy to feel the pressure to try to something, anything, which may help make the future we desire and fix the problem. But this is a challenge that has no easy solutions, if there are any solutions at all. Or we may resort to wishful thinking. We have become pretty good at wishing. Wishing is about something we want and desire, such as a bright and successful future.

But hope is different. Hope is deeply connected to faith. Hope comes from God. It is rooted in what God is up to. Wishing is rooted in what we are up to. Wishing is about my will being done. Hope is about His will being done. Hope is the humble acknowledgement that the future is in God’s capable hands. It is trusting in Him because He’s sovereign. He knows the future. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:7)

It was Billy Graham who said, “I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right.” And Corrie Ten Boom added, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” The point being that God is in complete control of the future. The Bible will still have the answers. Prayer will still work. The Holy Spirit will still move. The gospel will continue to be spread. There will still be room at the cross. Jesus will still save the lost. And Jesus will still love you.

It is important for us to seek God’s vision and will for our future. Trying to control and manage the future is a recipe for misery. We can let go and trust that the God who has been faithful throughout the ages has our future in His hands. And knowing that, that we live our lives with a new energy, confidence, and joy.

Discussion Questions:

How do you view the future and what impact does it have on your daily lives?
What gives you hope in the future?
What can we do this week to think long-term and trust God?