In a world of uncertainty and unknowns, it’s amazing how we still make plans.  We plan out our meals, we set dates to celebrate milestones and we schedule appointments for regular maintenance of our bodies or our vehicles.  The regularity of our days encourages us to not stand still.

When I read the scriptures, I see the struggle not only on the pages but in the world around me.  I feel the struggle within myself, do I go out? Do I stay in?  What do I really need?  Who do I need to be?  Where is God in the news?  How do I find God in the chaos?  How do I make sense of things that don’t make sense?

There are no answers to these questions, only more questions.  This is why I cling to the scriptures, for me the stories and words help calm the worries and anxieties that are stirred up.  They guide my prayers and calm my fears.  I can find comfort in hearing the readings where God proclaims peace on all nations because my faith shows me how God follows through on his promises.  I have read in the scriptures and seen evidence in the world and in my life where through the ashes, God emerges victorious.

Yes, there will be times of trouble and torment, but it is through these conflicts we grow and emerge with better vision and understanding.  It is like when Jesus came into Jerusalem, the Disciples thought it was the beginning of a great turn of events…they of course were right, it just wasn’t the take over they imagined.  They believed Jesus was going to become king on earth.

Instead, came the arrest, the persecution and death of Jesus.  Of course the Disciples were shocked, confused and scared because of the uncertainty and unknowns of what was coming next.  They didn’t know the future anymore than we do and this is where I share in community with them; relating to how they felt and feeling it myself.

So when I hear, “I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God” it is like a battle cry sung out across the nations.  It seems like the appropriate response of the Disciples when Jesus appeared to them after his death.  It is a reassurance that I am not alone and we are not alone in the world.

I think the piece we need to remember is that each of us have been created by God and have access to the key to the kingdom.  We have so much power within us that we haven’t even begun to understand how to use it.  The things that are happening in the world right now are not new problems, they might be called different things but these problems have always been there/here.

It is because I have faith in God, that I have faith in people.  I believe all people are basically good and that God dwells within each human being whether they acknowledge his presence or not.  I trust that even when people act out in anger or against injustice, they are doing so because they have something inside they need to get out.  Sometimes the acting out does more harm than good, and in these cases, we must suffer unfortunate and at times extreme consequences.  God created us to have the free will to make choices that we think are best and we cannot judge people who don’t think or believe in the same way as we do.

We each have our own set of experiences and circumstances to which we view the world.  I won’t even try to say I have a handle on all of these different perspectives because I don’t, but I know who does…God.  I know that over time, society has fought and struggled and overcome numerous times.  We cannot grow without conflict, we cannot create change without ruffling some feathers and we cannot find peace without the loving presence of an almighty and omnipotent God.

So where do we go from here?  What does this all mean?  To me, it is a matter of each person searching within to determine what is at their core.  What really matters to them and what are they willing to do in order to protect it?  For every action, there is a reaction and I believe we should more time figuring out which of our actions are going to impact the change we desire to see in society.  It is my dedication to the scripture that gives me clarity of thought and trust that one day all people will see how God is good and how he has been here all along.

It is because of the promise that each night when the sun goes down, that it will come up again that as humans we have the need to make plans.  It is our instinct to survive.  We need to continue to make plans in order to move forward, though we must take time to determine the actions that will bring the greatest benefit.  We cannot and must not stand still; when dormant we can more easily become victim of self-deprecating thoughts and actions.

Whether we are able to pause to take a breathe or not, it is our responsibility as members of the human race to force ourselves to make it a priority to do so from time to time to check in with ourselves.  Are we moving forward or just spinning in circles?  Do I find value in life and the people around me?  Do I feel loved, appreciated and seen on a daily basis?  These are the plans we need to be making.  These are the answers to the questions that when found, there will be no more questions.