It’s been a hard year and a half. We’re weary, uncertain, frustrated and disappointed. Summer may have given us a brief reprieve, but now, as we begin another school year, we wonder where we’ll be with classes, and whether we’ll get our full sports season and the chance to compete with our friends and teammates.
For all who wonder what the upcoming school year will bring, know this: God’s got you, no matter what.
Many things are still up in the air, but there are truths that remain certain.
God is in Control
Sometimes it can feel like the world is crumbling around us and we’re stuck in the rubble wondering what’s going on. From fear to uncertainty, from division to receiving more questions than answers, we can quickly surmise that something’s amiss.
God doesn’t miss a thing and is exactly where He has always been: in control. When God made the earth and set it in motion, He didn’t just leave it to run on its own; He’s been involved and aware every step of the way. He is unchanging, wise and holds all things in His capable hands.
“He existed before anything else,
and He holds all creation together.” (Colossians 1:17)
God is Good
In the rumble of life’s storms, it can be tempting to think that God has forgotten our suffering, pain and confusion. But God is closer than we can imagine, working all things for our good. His very character is good, right and holy, and He has the best in mind for His children. The fact that He sent His only Son Jesus to come for our sins and save us for eternity testifies to the goodness of His heart and plans.
“The Lord is good,
a strong refuge when trouble comes.
He is close to those who trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)
God is Trustworthy
In a day where information is everywhere and truth is relative, what do we actually believe? Where do we find actual truth? Can we believe anything we hear or read?
Again and again, the Bible shows us God’s faithfulness and steadfastness, His power and truth through fulfilled prophesies. Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) If we understand who God is, it makes sense that He is our moral and ethical compass, pointing us toward truth in Jesus. God has kept His promises to His people again and again. He has shown us that He is worthy of our trust.
“You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in You,
all whose thoughts are fixed on You!
Trust in the Lord always,
for the Lord God is the eternal Rock." (Isaiah 26:3-4)
As you begin this next school year, will you look to God to go before you, to make a way where there seems to be none and place your hope in Him to guide and encourage you, even amidst the unknown moments?
God knows what will come in the days and weeks ahead, what will happen with your season and will equip you for whatever challenges may arise. Keep your eyes fixed on Him, for He is steady and unchanging. Where the Lord brings us, we will also see His footsteps.
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” (Hebrews 10:23)
We can still be certain in the uncertainty because God has given us His promises to hold onto, promises that are for our good and His glory. Promises that encourage us and give us confidence that He is on the throne and aware of all that’s going on in the world. And hope that doesn’t hinge on what happens in life situations, but instead anchors on the unchanging character of God.
A New Season, A New Plan
FCA’s launching a new YouVersion reading plan on Monday, August 23 to encourage you as you begin your school year!
Are you feeling anxious or fearful for this new season of competition, unsure of what to expect? If you go back to the basics of God’s Word, we are reminded of key fundamental truths about Jesus: He is for us. He is with us. He will guide us. He has already won for us. Dive into this four-day plan to get encouraged in this new season of play.
To access FCA’s reading plan, visit http://bible.us/r/77Q and get started!
Plan Excerpt:
He Will Guide Us
by Danny Burns
READY
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
- Proverbs 19:21 NLT
SET
In my freshmen year of high school, I joined the cross-country team in an effort to get in shape for my “real” sport, basketball. What I would find out later that season is that my “real” sport was actually distance running. I helped the youngest team in school history earn a trip to the Iowa State Cross Country Meet. I found success on the track and on the course over the next four years and a good portion of that success was because of the tremendous coaches, trainers and physical therapists guiding me along the way.
As athletes, we are disciplined in our sports. Give us a plan and we’ll follow it. From workouts, weights, nutrition, practice and preparation–tell us what to do and we will relentlessly pursue it to the end.
But if these last two years showed us anything they have shown us that our plans will often fail us. The best course of action today changed tomorrow. The certainty yesterday evaporated today. As we enter a new sports season with a mix of anticipation, hope, excitement and worry–where does your heart find hope? In a world that seems out of control, where do you run?... Read YouVersion Plan
-FCA-
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