“He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10, NIV).
Sometimes, life feels like a video game. You know the path before you will magically appear at some point, but if you aren’t careful, a dissolving block might take its place. One wrong move and you’re back to the starting line, farther and farther away from the finish.
While these video games can be a fun source of entertainment, they’re a scary representation of our lives, especially if we fear the future and what’s next when we can’t physically see it.
When I was in High School, I was petrified about growing up, choosing a career, and going to college. Why? I was scared of making the wrong choice and screwing up God’s plans for my life (as if I were really that powerful). It’s as if I were waiting on the Lord to tell me exactly where to go to college, what to major in, and how to live out the next 5 years of my life. Sometimes I’m still waiting!
Let me be clear: God can speak in this way. He might give you a word, or a sign, or communicate through a friend or family member. But for most of us, God doesn’t give us specifications; instead, He gives us choices within His rule. Here’s an example:
Instead of seeing God’s will as a dot, picture it as a circle drawn with a protractor. I’m not a fan of math, but I know that using this tool creates a beautiful circle around a single point.
There are things in this life that are clearly outside of God’s desires for you—for example, lust, adultery, murder, and violence. But there are also choices within his boundaries that are gifts for us to choose. For example, our job, calling, or who we marry. He might tell us the specifics, or He might say, “Amber, stay in these boundaries, but the choice is yours.”
Looking back on my early 20s, I used to have a lot of anxiety about the future. I begged God to tell me who I’d marry, when I’d marry them, and what my jobs would look like. Needless to say, my life has looked very different than what I had imagined. And yet, it’s been better than I could have asked or thought. Because God always knows best, even when I can’t see what’s in front of me.
A few years ago, I memorized Proverbs 16:9, which reads, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (NIV). I committed this verse to my heart and mind because it reminds me that I can trust God in seasons of uncertainty. Even when facing anxiety about the future, and even when I’m trusting but still anxious, there is strength in the stillness of the unknown. In saying, “Lord, I don’t know, but you do, and I trust you.”
If you’re struggling with the fear of the unknown today, I want you to know that you’re not alone. But I also want you to know that it’s okay. It’s okay to be scared. To doubt. To cry out in confusion. But don’t stay in that place. Pray over those fears. Pray with tears. And rest assured of this:
God is greater than your biggest fears—trust, even when you’re scared, and especially when you can’t see. For we live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and perhaps God created life in this way on purpose. Because if you knew everything, would you commune with Him? Talk to Him? Trust Him? Hand over every detail of your life? Just something to ponder with today.
Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Learning to trust you when we can’t see what’s next is scary. It’s like we’re walking a tightrope and fearful of falling off the side. And yet, we know that if we keep our gaze and eyes fixed forward, on you, we will make it to the end. Instead of looking down, please help us look to you. Please help us trust you when our eyes can’t see, and in seasons of uncertainty, not to give up hope. Please give us the endurance we need to keep pressing forward and trusting you along the winding road. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus. You know best and have good plans in store for our future, even if we can’t fully see them. Amen.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Bulat Silvia
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Tuesday, 09 December 2025.
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