God is With You in the Unknown

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is moving forward in faith while we are afraid.

God is With You in the Unknown

"So He said, 'I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again.'"

(Genesis 46:3-4)

Jacob faced an uncertain future. He was leaving the familiar land and traveling to Egypt because of the circumstances surrounding his family. Before he left, God spoke to him and gave him several promises. God reminded Jacob who He was, promised him a future, promised His presence, and promised that He would bring him back.

Those promises speak directly to the fears we face today. We may not know what tomorrow holds. We may have concerns about our family, finances, health, retirement, moving, relationships, or other changes in life. Fear of the unknown is a real temptation. The question is not whether we will ever feel afraid. The question is whether fear will control our response to God.

God began by reminding Jacob, "I am God." Before He explained the future, He reminded Jacob of His identity. Then God promised, "I will make you," "I will go down with you," and "I will bring you back." Jacob did not have to know everything because God already knew everything.

That is where faith becomes real. We may honestly say, "Lord, I do not know what You are doing, but I know what You have done." We can look backward at God's faithfulness and allow it to strengthen our trust for the future. The unknown may be unknown to us, but it is never unknown to God.

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is moving forward in faith while we are afraid. Jacob was concerned, but he continued to follow God. Today, when anxiety about the future begins to grow, remind yourself that God is already there. Write down one thing that concerns you and place beside it these words: "God is already there."

Prayer: Father, when I cannot see what is ahead, help me remember that You can. Thank You for Your faithfulness in the past and Your presence today. Give me courage to trust You with tomorrow and to keep moving forward in faith. Amen.

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Podcast of the Week

The Army and the Pulpit, with Pastor Mark Bishop

Pastor Danny welcomes to the show his friend Pastor Mark Bishop of GracePointe Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, who served in the US Army and retired as a Major after 20 years. They discuss Mark's calling to ministry, his time in the Army, including his time serving in Afghanistan, his experience with pastoring and evangelism, and more!

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