Moving Into a New Year

The prognosticators in our culture normally line up in the late Fall of the year to tell people what they think is going to happen in the coming year. These individuals are very free with their opinions, and they think their conclusions are valid as far as their research has led them to believe. It appears that there is nothing about which some social soothsayer has issued as a prediction. Is there hope for our shaky world’s economy? Relax. The Wall Street Journal (12-08-21) issued their prediction, “Expect to see easing inflation alongside somewhat slow growth in gross domestic product.” Then they clarified, “These forecasts were provided before the Omicron variant was discovered in late November, which stirred up volatility across global markets.” Opps! Will the scourge of the Covid-19 virus be conquered this year? Assurances from The Economist announced their prediction that, “Covid-19 is likely to fade away in 2022” (11-8-21). Then came the Omicron variant. Opps!  

     Prognosticators unleash opinions on other issues like political parties successes or failures, prospects of military conflict, projected ecological catastrophes, and the potential collapse of the United States as a world power.  If you can think of an issue that might occur in 2022, you might find some individual or group that will be giving their prediction. Then again, there are the outliers that look at all these predictions and suggest as Jennifer Rubin does in an opinion piece in the Washington Post, “Put away the crystal balls. 2022 is a big question mark.”

     Perhaps it is human nature to want to know about the details of the future and if possible, to seek to control the upcoming realities. It is as if we want insider information on life so that we can manipulate the outcomes of our existence. James in his epistle warns people of the folly of thinking they have the future figured out and can therefore control it. He reminds his readers and us, “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?” (James 4:13-14 NLT). James suggests a better approach. “What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise, you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil” (4:15-16). Does the Bible suggest we should not plan? No. It teaches us to allow our plans to be submissive to God plans and purposes and to hold our plans in our hands rather loosely. How often does one become embittered when their outcomes are not fulfilled, even refusing to alter one’s course out of sheer stubbornness? No wonder there is not only tension with a sovereign God but also in relationships with people with whom we must relate.

     One who was considered the wisest of all men, King Solomon, wrote, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). Tragically later in Solomon’s life he refused to submit to God’s purposes, and was ruled by the plans, passions, and pursuits of his own design. His life is summarized in 1 Kings and reveals his tragic failure. “In Solomon’s old age, [his many wives and concubines] turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God… The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command” (11:4, 9-10). God had forecasted the future Solomon could have had, but he refused to release control of his life to God and held tightly to his plans for his life. When our plans collide with God’s – things do not come out well for us. Solomon knew this and yet tried to have his plans prevail over God’s.

     So how do we walk into 2022? Are we doomed to fatalistic uncertainty? Perhaps it would be better to look at certainties we can embrace and set aside crystal balls of humanities’ best guesses. A better alternative is to hold on to the assurances God’s Word gives us. First, God loves us (John 3:16). Second, God is powerful (Romans 8:35-39). Third, God is faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23). Fourth, God is merciful and gracious (Ephesians 2:4-5). These assurances are the things we need as we walk into the uncertain would of 2022.

     Has there ever been a person who lived like this? The biblical record reveals such a man named Abraham. “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8 NLT). Abraham was walking not just into a new year but into a new life. The key ingredient was to trust the one who was leading him into the unknown. That is the best advice we can follow as we head into a new year. May you have a wonderful new year filled with faith and not fear-filled uncertainty!