^{Photo by Zeyad Taha on Unsplash}

Nervousness is a normal part of the human experience, but this is typically followed by the often pestilential practice of overthinking.

God has planned the future, the past, and everything in between, as stated in Isaiah 46:10:

“Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.”

As Christians, life often requires us nothing but ourselves and the bravery in our steps. It doesn’t ask us to be perfect or the most competent in every skill. Instead, it demands confidence and belief that every step leads to something that matters. Trudging through the perilous hills of our journeys with uncertainty clouding our rationality, we often realize that faith in ourselves and the ultimate design of our lives is our only crucial company.

However, as men harbor a distaste for unpredictability, this concept is overshadowed by doubt and anxiety. We question everything without recognizing the ideal that’s playing before our eyes.

Before we realize our fate, God has already mapped everything out. He has planned when events fall in our lives and the possible successes and mistakes that lead to meaningful experiences. Everything has been done from the beginning to the end, and all we have to do is live out what’s destined for us. Yet, unfortunately, we’re only given a limited perspective of the bigger picture – a mere puzzle piece from the whole master plan. This makes us itch with apprehension and worry.

As anxiety comes rushing in, the steps we take throughout our journey become so fervent that we often fail to realize it’s leading us away from both our fate and faith.

It’s natural to want the good things in life. But it’s impossible to demand these to happen instantly or to believe it’s not bound to happen simply because the path is dirtied with failure. Faith is the only crucial company in our lives. Hence, we should leave our doubts behind and trust in God’s plans and the right timing He’s laid down. In search of clarity and certainty, we often lose ourselves.

When we’ve only set our eyes on our goals, we fail to recognize that the journey is as consequential as the resolution. It makes falling prey to temptations and devious shortcuts easier. By allowing anxiety to blind us from what we’re truly destined for, we also fail to realize that God’s grace and our faith rely primarily on His promise of His presence and guidance throughout our lives.

This is what inspired author Thomas Fitzhugh Sheets to write his book circling around waiting and braving through life’s uncertainty. Hearing his friend confess how he was “done with the church” lit Thomas’ fire to write about the church’s central advocacy and direction, hoping it would help his friend come back in faith and persuade those with similar experiences. He touches upon what shakes people’s beliefs and what they can do to overcome this.

In essence, his book redirects those struggling to surrender their control in faith and God’s providence. It serves as a guidebook, encouraging people to put their guard down and rely not on the circumstances but on the belief that God has placed a purpose beyond these for them to sow.

Submitting in the uncertain can be challenging.

Believing in a more remarkable outcome, especially in times of crisis, can seem futile and illogical. But it pays to think that God never fails and that even the hardships one experiences will always lead to something fruitful. Trusting and waiting for the negatives to turn into positives with faith seems foolish. But this belief can help ease one’s anxiety, elevating one’s quality of life.

Although it sounds foolish to leave doubts behind and fantasy to believe that everything will work out in the end, God will follow through. Regardless of how tough life is now, there will always be a pivotal point that changes its trajectory: the point where God’s plans will slowly become more evident.

The hardships we experience are all part of the plan. These aren’t mistakes He’s committed or a sign that He’s left our sides. Instead, these are intentional to help us grow, a sign that He knows we’re capable of overcoming these troubles. Everything is designed around us. Our lives have been planned to work in our favor, molded around our competencies and limitations.

God only has good intentions for everyone. He encourages everyone to control their anxieties and stop overthinking their futures. He has no plans to hurt anyone because everyone is valuable and has a purpose in His grand design. We may not be able to see where we stand in this bigger picture, but we have our appropriate place, which will be revealed at the right time.