I’m Not Afraid of What Tomorrow Might Bring

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!

-From “Because He Lives,” by Bill Gaither

As I’m writing this, I’m in a place of relative comfort and safety. I figured I’d begin there because what I’m going to say may be extremely uncomfortable to hear and read. All morning long, my e-mail, social media, and other platforms are loaded with complains about rising gas prices, inflation, food costs, etc. Many are acting as though this is the first time this ever happened. Yet, if one studies History (which I do), it can be safely inferred that we’re not living in extraordinary times. Seriously, we’re not: all of this has happened before, and, unless the Lord tarries, it will all happen again. There has always been flood, fires, famines, wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, and the like. From the very beginning. It’s because we live on God’s good ground that has been cursed by sin. We’re concerned because our gods of comfort and security are looking pretty weak right now (and they are, they aren’t really gods at all). Looking, not to the News, social media, or whatever agency wants to get me to be afraid, I won’t bite: I know who wins in the end, and I know Who’s carried me this far.

A time may come when we have to tighten our belts, and ration out food, gas, and other commodities. A time may come when the world is thrown in to chaos and war, and a new, bigger enemy comes forth to conquer all of it, or, worse, unites it in peace and then makes war against the saints. Times of hunger, woe, sickness and hardship may be on the horizon, but I will not live in fear. I’m not afraid of what tomorrow may bring. God has brought me thus far, and it is up to Him when I leave this place. He will get me through, or He will bring me home. I’m going to trust that He holds me in His victorious righteous right hand, and so I will take any fears and cast it on Him.

Romans 8:18-30

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.