Fearing the Unknown?

Mrs. Beaver:

Today I stumbled across a quote that made my soul cry, "Yes!" In a blog called Passionate Homemaking, author Lindsay reflects on her husband's recent move from employee to self-employment. One of her concluding thoughts is this:

"It is in the unknown that fellowship with my Lord is sweetest. It is in the unknown that God's mercy is most beautifully manifested. It is in the unknown that our faith is refined and comes forth shining more brightly."

Amen. AMEN! And a resounding A.M.E.N!!! (I've been cautioning my young writers as I teach them not to rely on exclamation points for emphasis, but Lindsay's insight is worthy of some rule-breaking in my mind.)

Are you facing a health problem? Broken relationship? Uncertain career path? Unsure of your next address? Wondering how you'll meet your spouse? Called by the Lord into service that is way outside your comfort zone? Nudged to adopt?

We don't have to be afraid of a nebulous future. We don't have to be overwhelmed by trepidation when facing the unknown. God is there.

Uncertainty is not our enemy, despite what our feelings may tell us. When what we know is stripped away, God is there. He will be with you. He is a promise-keeping God, and He has declared He will never leave you. God will guide you. God will give you wisdom. God will strengthen you.

When the rug has been pulled out from under you and the last thing you ever expected has happened, God gives...Himself. Isn't this the good news of great joy which the babe in a manger heralds? Jesus' very name, Emmanuel, means God with us! (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)

Mr. Beaver and I have experienced living in the unknown. One of the givens of adopting is that the process takes you chin-deep into the murky waters of ambiguity. You don't know what will happen when. You can't control the outcome. In fact, you can't control...anything.

And yet, through four adoptions and the addition of ten children to our family, God has been with us. Despite periods of white-knuckled fear, God has given us...Himself. We have tasted His goodness (Psalm 34:8). We have been cocooned in His peace. Seemingly inexplicable joy has welled up in the darkness and lighted our way. When we've sensed danger, we've felt Him. Near. God has been with us.

The fellowship with the Lord that we've experienced when our lives have been at their most extreme has been so sweet, so palpable that we hunger for more. We're...well...addicted. Would we be willing to step out into the unkown just to get intimacy with God? In a word, YES! Maybe service in a Muslim country instead of retirement... Maybe another adoption before we even reach retirement... We just don't know yet. But we do know He'll lead, and we'll follow. You see, now we know. We don't have to fear the unknown. God is there.