Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)
8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
There are things that come across my desk that leave me with questions. I imagine the same is true for you. Something needs our attention, but we cannot immediately see how it will work out. We may have a decision to make or a situation to consider, and we find ourselves wrestling with the uncertainty of what comes next.
Before I go any further, let me clarify something for those who are part of our church. When I mention uncertainty, I am not referring to my role or job at The Rise Church. Unless the Lord says otherwise, I am here for the long haul. I am talking about the kinds of things that come across my desk, just as they come across yours, that require thought, prayer, and a willingness to trust God while some questions remain unanswered.
I think most of us would prefer to know how things are going to turn out before we have to walk through them. We want to understand what a decision will mean, how someone will respond, or whether a situation will improve. Having those answers would make us feel more settled. But often, we have to live through part of the story before we understand what is happening.
Deuteronomy 31 brings us to a significant moment for Israel. Moses tells the people that he will not lead them across the Jordan. Joshua will lead them into the land God has promised. After years of following Moses, the people are facing a change in leadership and the challenges of entering unfamiliar territory. Joshua is receiving a responsibility that will require courage and dependence on God.
Moses calls Joshua before the people and speaks directly to him. The encouragement in verse eight centers on the Lord: He will go before Joshua, He will be with him, and He will not leave him. Joshua has real responsibilities ahead, but he will carry them in the presence of the God who has already been faithful to His people.
That promise belongs to a particular moment in Israel’s history. We should not take it as a guarantee that every opportunity in front of us has God’s approval or that every decision will produce the outcome we want. Joshua had a clear commission from God. We still need to seek wisdom, listen to Scripture, and carefully consider the choices before us.
Even so, the assurance of God’s presence reaches into our lives as believers. Through Jesus Christ, we have been brought into a relationship with God. Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and those who trust Him belong to Him. Our unanswered questions do not put that relationship on hold. We can come to our Father while we are still uncertain and ask for the help we need.
Sometimes the hardest part of uncertainty is what we do with the space between what we know and what we want to know. We begin filling it with possibilities. One concern leads to another, and soon we are responding emotionally to circumstances that have not happened. Thinking carefully can help us prepare. Rehearsing every possible disappointment can leave us exhausted before we have taken a single step.
It may help to pause and ask what is actually known. What has happened? What information is still missing? Is there a decision that needs to be made today, or are we trying to settle something that cannot be settled yet? Those questions do not remove every concern, but they can help us give our attention to the responsibility that is actually in front of us.
We can bring those same questions into prayer. We do not have to make uncertainty sound more spiritual before we talk to God about it. We can tell Him that we do not know what to do, that waiting is difficult, or that we are afraid of making the wrong decision. Honest prayer gives us a place to bring what we have been carrying around in our own thoughts.
There may also be someone whose wisdom can help us. A trusted friend or mature believer may notice something we have overlooked. Asking for counsel gives us an opportunity to listen, test our assumptions, and recognize where fear may be influencing our judgment. God often helps us through people who are willing to walk patiently with us.
And sometimes, after we have prayed, sought counsel, and considered what we know, there will still be uncertainty. We may need to make a careful decision without knowing every consequence. We may need to wait for information that has not arrived. Either way, we can keep attending to the people and responsibilities God has entrusted to us today.
I want to remember that when something uncertain comes across my desk. I can give it appropriate attention without allowing it to consume every other part of my day. I can pray about it again when the concern returns. I can take the step that belongs to today and leave tomorrow’s unanswered questions with the Lord.
If you are wrestling with something uncertain, bring that particular concern to God today. Ask Him for wisdom, receive help where you need it, and consider what is yours to do now. You may reach the end of the day with some questions still unanswered. You can rest knowing that you belong to Him and that He hears you while you wait.
Prayer
Father, You know the things I am uncertain about and the questions I keep turning over in my mind. Help me bring them honestly to You. Give me wisdom to make decisions, patience when I need to wait, and humility to receive counsel. Keep my concern about tomorrow from consuming the attention I need to give today. Thank You that through Jesus I belong to You. Help me trust Your presence and care while I walk through what I do not yet understand. In Jesus’ name, amen.