Resolutions in the face of uncertainty

By Rob Hurtgen

It's that time of year again. The time of year when many of us boldly vow that this year will be the year we've always dreamed of. The year where those extra pounds come off. The year of deep and meaningful relationships. This year we will finally learn to speak Spanish, paint with watercolors, or master whatever hobby that has slowly alluded our grasps.

The Bible has much to say about dreaming about your future. The New Testament book of James grasps the attention of some who have planned for their futures but have done so thinking they were invincible. James writes, "Look here, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.' How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog -- it's here a little while, then it's gone." (James 3:13 -- 14, NLT)

When Sir Edmund Hillary was asked why he ascended Mount Everest, he allegedly replied, "Because it was there." James recognizes that to a degree we each have a bit of Hillary within us. We all have desires to conquer, achieve, and to make life better for ourselves.

However, as James points out, we seldom consider how frail life is. He correctly compares life to a fog. Here for a moment and then gone. Recently my community was struck by the tragedy of a man whom in the morning was enjoying his day and his family only later that same evening suffered a massive stroke that took his life. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.

The frailties of life can cause us to soak everything up in anxiety fueled hedonism or to cause us to shrink back in fear. James encourages neither. He presses us towards faith by encouraging us to say, "If the Lord wills we will do live and do this or that" (4:15).

Faith then in the face of uncertainty is committing our absolute best while trusting the Lord to work out His will; which is always better than mine. We make our plans, he directs our steps. This year those last few pounds may never come off and the conjugation of that verb may remain allusive, but faith in God who can be trusted in all things and for all things will always endure.