As we reflected on our “VUCA” world, the acronym for “volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous,” who would have anticipated what happened between Gaza and Israel? Some have speculated that this might be the spark that leads to World War III – or even Christ’s return. How then do we respond to such uncertainty? Here is a devotion that frees us from anxiety:

IN WORD It’s one of the most straightforward commands in Scripture, but one of the hardest to fulfill. “Do not be anxious about anything.” What unreasonable person came up with such a naive instruction? What primitive thinker was so uneducated in the ways of the human psyche?
If we believe in the inspiration of Scripture, the originator of this verse is none other than the Holy Spirit. He’s the one who gives us such a seemingly impossible order to desist from all anxious thoughts. How can God expect us to be anxiety free? He must have a reason. He wouldn’t tell us to do something that’s impossible to do. No, the rationale for this imperative comes in the words that follow.
The reason we can be anxious for nothing is that our prayers, petitions, and requests can be given over to God in a spirit of gratitude. If this accomplished little, or if this were even a hit-and-miss exercise, our anxiety would still be well-founded. But it isn’t. Prayer with thanksgiving gives us rock-solid assurance that our fears are unfounded. God would never tell us to cease from our anxieties and then give us an only sometimes-effective reason that we can.
If He tells us that our prayers and petitions are the antidote to fearfulness, it isn’t because He might answer us. It’s because He guarantees that our anxiety is unreasonable. Our fears are completely unnecessary.
IN DEED If we only knew what God knows—if we only understood how He plans to respond to our thankful prayers and requests—then we wouldn’t fear at all. But do we really need to know the specifics of how He plans to answer? Perhaps just knowing who He is should be enough for us. We may not always know how He will respond to our prayers, but we know He will—and that He will do so in a way that wouldn’t make us nervous if we knew. If God tells us to talk to Him about our problems and then relax, we can. Whatever makes us anxious is safe in His hands. “Pray, and let God worry.” —Martin Luther
(in “God with Us” by Chris Tiegreen)

Regardless of what happens on the world stage, we need to remember that God is the architect of human history. Whether it’s global conflict or whether it be the daily challenges we face, God remains in full control. If we come to the Lord with humility and faith in His steadfast love and lovingkindness for us, we can be assured that nothing we face can ever overwhelm us, for all is in accordance with His good and perfect unfolding will. So should you be anxious, meditate on Psalm 131 this week and ask the Holy Spirit to help you reflect on the psalm and share in the peace it describes. Have a blessed and secure week in the Lord! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam