Scary is the unknown — from the bunker Day 12

Scary is the the unknown — From The bunker day 12

Last night was restless. I woke up several times, in and out. I knew I was awake but the length of time I slept or was awake eludes me. I rolled over and turned off the alarm and the next thing I knew an hour had gone by. But the sun is out and the temperature will be near perfect today. So what could I have to worry about? That’s right, the unknown.

We live in the hyper Information Age. Have a question? Google it. Need to know how to fix something? YouTube it. Want to know what your friends had for dinner? Facebook it. We know more about everything and yet there is much we don’t and can’t know—and that can be scary.

How long will the pandemic continue?

If we let up in the social distancing and isolation will it just jump back?

How long can the virus live on different surfaces, and have I brought it into my home?

How will this contagion affect the economy?

How will it affect my job?

Will my neighbor be infected?

Will I get infected? Will my children?

These are scary questions because our minds take us to the worst case scenario and all of the apocalyptic movies we have ever watched. I saw “Designated Survivor” last night and the episode was about a virus that started to spread across the US killing hundreds of people. Fortunately television can solve all the problems in an hour — thank you Jack Bauer. But today I wake up to…the unknown.

What scares us about the known is not the lack of information, but the lack of control. Information is helpful so that I can do something about it, figure out my next steps, prepare for the worse or look forward to the best. So how do we deal with these overwhelming feelings of an unknown future?

Remember and Trust. 

First we need to remember how God has brought us though unknown situations before. Take a moment and list them. Then we need to remember God’s promises. Here are a couple familiar ones.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

TRUST. Next we need to trust that God will keep his promises. Trust is based on experience. If I remember how God has brought me through in the past the easier it is to trust him for the future. This very familiar passage comes to mind.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

It seems like a trite saying, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future,” but it is true. Whatever happens with the virus, whatever happens with the economy and my job, whatever gain or loss I might experience, one thing stands true,

(ESV) the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces,

and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,

for the LORD has spoken.

9 It will be said on that day,

“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.

This is the LORD; we have waited for him;

let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:8,9

I’m just saying 

From the Bunker day 12