Trust God with Your Future

When I left my family for University, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into. I was leaving a familiar environment for an unfamiliar environment. I felt like I was leaving the safety net of my family and home to the unknown. I understood I was going to get a degree, but nothing prepared me for education in a different country. The culture, language, weather and everything was different, though expected, it still felt like a surprise and was a huge contrast to the life I had always known.

As I travelled to the university, I spent a large part of my journey thinking about my future. Few days before I left, I developed cold feet and I asked my mother some questions to  which I had no answers. I knew she couldn’t answer them either, but I needed some comforting words and reassurance that all will be well. Her response to my questions did not sound comforting at the time because of a statement she made. She said; “Trust God with your Future”. This statement appeared to be dismissive of my questions and I considered it a non-acknowledgment of my fears. Looking back now, it is clear to me that only God has the answers to the questions of my future. Indeed, my mother gave me the perfect response, she redirected my heart back to God rather than allow me dwell on my fears for the future.

You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. With your hand of love upon my life, you impart a blessing to me. This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible! Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength.  — Psalm 139:5-6, TPT

When we battle tough times and life’s challenges, what keeps most of us going is the belief that our future will be better than our today.  When people are no longer optimistic about their future, they give up on life. Therefore, it is not surprising that we constantly think of the future and sometimes become worried about it. The Psalmist said, “You’ve gone into my future, to prepare the way”. I smiled when I read that line, it reminded me of the truth that God is the only author of my future. “…Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength”. God knows and understands you better than you know or understand yourself. Look back at your life, you are better informed than you were a year or two ago. Your choices, preferences, opportunities and outlook to life today are different from what they were a year or two ago. Sometimes we think of decisions we made or beliefs we held dearly and say to ourselves “how was I so foolish?”. Isn’t it interesting that we plan for our future with the limited understanding of how we perceive our lives today? For instance, so many are rightly working hard to establish a career for their future. They have no doubt their chosen career will create a fulfilling future for them, but they have no clue that tomorrow, they may end up losing interest in this dream career they worked so hard to establish. Some thought their degree will earn them a living but today, God is using something totally different from what they studied to bless and enrich their lives. Trust God with your future because He knows what is ahead of you. God knows the choices and decisions you will make tomorrow that you are not aware of today.

Trusting God with your future doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work towards your future. It means that the hope for your future isn’t dependent on what you have done or not done. In other words, irrespective of the outcome, you are at rest because God has/had settled it.

We can plan all we want, and we can use scientific models to predict future outcomes, however, only God understands the ramification of our lives in the future. It reminds me of when Elisha said to King Jehoram in 2 Kings 7:1 “This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seah of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” But the King’s trusted adviser who probably understood the economic outlook for the future couldn’t believe it was possible, he replied “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen? ” Well, you know the rest of the story. 

Trusting God with your future doesn’t mean that you can’t plan, or you shouldn’t work towards your future. It means that the hope for your future isn’t dependent on what you have done or not done. In other words, irrespective of the outcome, you are at rest because God has/had settled it. Just as you care about the things that bother your life, God cares even more about your life, including what you think are minute and insignificant details of your life. Your future will not be secure because you are a good planner or you have great foresight, your future will be secure because you are in Christ. You might say to yourself “I am not in right standing with God, how can He be concerned about me and my future”? Well, God knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb and He had plans for you even before your parents gave you a name. 

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. — Jeremiah 1:5, NIV

Just like your earthly parents had plans for you long before you could think for yourself, God had plans for your future before you began having plans for yourself. Recently, I was thinking about the kind of life I want for my unborn kids. I am not married but I have lofty plans for my unborn kids. If we can have plans for the future of our unborn children, why do we think our heavenly Father has no plans for our future? 

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

To trust God with your future, you must trust His leadership and always remain in His presence. Being in God’s presence will bring you peace and joy and His leadership will order your step. Share on X

Whenever you find yourself worried or afraid about your future, remember that God has plans to give you a prosperous future. Fear is the primary weapon the devil uses to keep us in a state of confusion and uncertainty. Fear cripples our lives and stifles our ability to trust God. Fear will make you take irrational decisions that will hurt your future and fear will take away your peace.  Look back at your life, so many of the things you were afraid of in the past did not destroy you. Nothing you fear today will destroy your future if you will stop leaning on your own understanding but begin trusting God with every aspect of your life. God can and will take care of every aspect of your future including your marriage, family, career, business, ministry and other aspects you can’t see now. To trust God with your future, you must trust His leadership and always remain in His presence. Being in God’s presence will bring you peace and joy and His leadership will order your step.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  — Romans 15:13, NIV

Trusting God with your future means that you will be filled with joy and peace, and God’s overflowing hope will be made available to you. What is that aspect of your future you haven’t totally submitted to God? Is the fear for your future being fueled by the unpleasant realities of your life today? God is saying to you this day, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Your future is secure and guaranteed in God. Trust Him, trust His words and trust His promises. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, I trust you with my future, give me the courage to lean on you. Let my heart be open to seeking your wisdom and help me to rest in your promises for my life. Amen.