Bulletins - Living Way Church

Speak, O Lord
Lord, I Need You
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
In Christ Alone
Good morning.
I’m grateful we can gather again.
Today we continue our series, Steady, Until He Comes, focusing on living with calm faith, steady endurance, and hopeful obedience in an uncertain world.
In recent weeks, we have seen that God remains steady when the world is shaken, Christ gives peace in trouble, and Jesus calls us from anxiety to trusting dependence on our heavenly Father.
This morning, we will take another step forward.
One of life’s greatest challenges is not just handling the present, but facing the unknown.
What will tomorrow bring?
What will happen with our health?
What will happen with our family?
What will happen with our finances?
What will happen in our nation and in the world?
And what happens when the plans we have made do not unfold the way we expected?
These are significant questions that touch us deeply.
God’s Word does not ignore these questions; it addresses them directly.
This morning, we will examine James 4:13–15 and consider this theme:
When the Future Feels Uncertain.
The main truth for today is:
Christians do not control tomorrow, but they do know the God who does.
Put simply:
We are not in control, but we are not abandoned.
This message is important because uncertainty is one of the greatest challenges in our world.
All of us make plans.
We plan our work schedules.
We plan doctor appointments.
We plan meals.
We plan family gatherings.
We plan church calendars.
We plan budgets.
We plan repairs.
We plan vacations.
We plan retirement.
We plan what we expect life to be.
And planning is not wrong.
In fact, wise planning is part of faithful living.
The Bible does not call us to be careless or irresponsible. God gives wisdom, calls us to stewardship, and teaches us to number our days. Making responsible plans is wise and spiritual.
However, we all know how quickly plans can change.
One phone call can change the day.
One diagnosis can change the year.
One bill can change the budget.
One conflict can change the atmosphere of a home.
One job situation can change the future you thought you were building.
One death can change an entire family.
One world event can change how people think about the future.
When these things occur, we are reminded of a truth we often know intellectually but struggle to accept emotionally.
We have less control than we realize.
Most of us acknowledge this in theory and would say, “Of course, I’m not in control of everything.”
It is easy to say this when life is calm.
It is much harder to accept when life changes unexpectedly.
It is one thing to confess God’s sovereignty when plans succeed, and another to trust Him when plans fall apart.
And when we face uncertainty, we usually respond in one of two ways.
Some of us respond with fear.
“What if everything falls apart?”
“What if I cannot handle what comes next?”
“What if the diagnosis is bad?”
“What if the money is not there?”
“What if the people I love are not okay?”
“What if tomorrow brings something I am not ready for?”
That is one response to uncertainty: fear.
But others of us respond with control.
“I just need to get everything figured out.”
“I need a better plan.”
“I need more information.”
“I need to manage every possible outcome.”
“I need to make sure nothing catches me off guard.”
This may appear responsible, but often reveals a desire to rely on control rather than trust.
So some of us are tempted to fear tomorrow.
Others of us are tempted to control tomorrow.
James, however, offers a better way.
He teaches that Christians are not called to fearful despair, as if God has abandoned us, nor to arrogant presumption, as if tomorrow belongs to us.
Instead, we are called to humble dependence on the Lord.
This is why this passage is so important.
Because how we think about tomorrow reveals what we believe about God today.
If we think tomorrow belongs to us, we will become proud.
If we think tomorrow is ruled by chaos, we will become afraid.
If we believe tomorrow belongs to the Lord, we can live with confidence.
James is not just correcting our language about the future, but our heart’s posture.
He is not saying, “Do not make plans.”
He is asking, “Where is God in your planning?”
He is not saying, “Do not think about tomorrow.”
He is asking, “Are you thinking about tomorrow with humility before the Lord?”
He is not saying, “Do not prepare.”
He is asking, “Are you trusting your preparation more than your God?”
So the question this morning is not, “Should Christians make plans?”
The question is, “Can we make plans while remembering that God is God and we are not?”
Can we look ahead to tomorrow without boasting?
Can we prepare without pretending we are sovereign?
Can we make plans without trusting those plans more than the Lord?
Can we face uncertainty without panic, knowing the One who holds the future?
That is where James is taking us.
Here is the main truth of this sermon:
Because tomorrow belongs to the Lord, believers must face the future with humble dependence rather than fearful despair or arrogant presumption.
Or to say it more simply:
We are not in control, but we are not abandoned.
It Is Important to Recognize the Danger of Planning Without God
James begins in verse 13 by saying:
James 4:13 ESV
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—
Let’s pay attention to what James is doing here.
He begins by addressing people who are making plans.
These aren’t just general ideas. They are specific plans.
They know when they are going.
“Today or tomorrow.”
They know where they are going.
“We will go into such and such a town.”
They know how long they are going to stay.
“We will spend a year there.”
They know what they are going to do.
“We will trade.”
And they know what outcome they expect.
“We will make a profit.”
So they have a schedule.
They have a location.
They have a time frame.
They have a business plan.
They have an expected result.
And at first, nothing about this sounds sinful.
They are not planning wickedness.
They are not planning rebellion.
They are not planning immorality.
They are not planning violence or dishonesty.
They are planning business.
They are thinking about travel, work, time, and profit.
This is important because James isn’t saying that making plans is wrong.
The Bible does not condemn wisdom.
The Bible does not condemn preparation.
The Bible does not condemn thinking ahead.
The Bible does not condemn business.
The Bible does not condemn responsible planning.
In fact, the Bible often encourages us to work hard, be responsible, and prepare wisely.
So the issue here is not that they made a plan.
The real problem is that God isn’t mentioned at all when they talk about their plans.
Listen again to their confidence:
“Today or tomorrow we will go.”
“We will spend a year.”
“We will trade.”
“We will make a profit.”
They don’t show any humility.
They don’t show any dependence on God.
They don’t acknowledge God at all.
They don’t seem to realize that tomorrow is in God’s hands.
They speak as though time belongs to them.
They speak as though opportunity belongs to them.
They speak as though strength belongs to them.
They speak as though success belongs to them.
They speak as though tomorrow is guaranteed.
They’ve planned everything as if they control what happens next.
And James is confronting the danger of presumption.
Presumption is not careful planning.
Presumption means making plans as if we don’t need God.
Presumption is not looking ahead.
Presumption is thinking about the future without relying on God with humility.
Presumption is not saying, “I need to be responsible.”
Presumption is acting, even if we never say it, like we’re in control.
That is what James is pressing into.
It’s possible to say we believe in God, but still make plans as if He doesn’t matter.
We might say God is in control, but talk about the future like it’s all up to us.
We might say we trust God, but act like our plans are what matter most.
We might say God is in charge, but we panic as soon as our plans change.
We might say our lives are in God’s hands, but get upset or afraid when things don’t go the way we wanted.
And James is exposing something very deep in the human heart.
He’s showing us what practical atheism looks like.
Now, that may sound strong.
But practical atheism does not mean we deny God with our theology. It means we ignore God in practice.
It means we believe God is real, but we don’t include Him in our plans.
It means we say He’s in charge, but we don’t let Him guide our schedules.
It means we admit we need God, but act like our plans keep us safe.
It means we talk like Christians, but plan as if we own tomorrow.
And, this isn’t just something businesspeople struggled with back in James’s time.
It’s something we deal with too.
We do not have to deny God with our mouths in order to ignore Him in our planning.
We can leave God out when we make our schedules.We can leave Him out when we plan our budgets..
We can leave Him out when we think about retirement.
We can leave Him out even when we make plans for ministry.
We can leave Him out when we make plans for our families.
We can leave Him out when we assume we know how life should go.
Again, the issue is not that calendars, budgets, preparation, or plans are wrong.
The problem comes when we start to treat our plans as if they’re in control.
It’s a problem when we start to feel safe just because we have a plan.
It’s a problem when being in control is what comforts us.
It’s a problem when we trust our own arrangements more than we trust God, who is really in charge.
Here’s the main point:
Planning is wise, but planning without God is pride.
Planning is wise.
We should not be careless people.
We should not be reckless people.
We should not be lazy people.
We should not live as though wisdom does not matter.
But if we plan without God, that’s pride.
Because it assumes tomorrow is ours.
It assumes life will go the way we expect.
It assumes our strength will remain.
It assumes our opportunity will continue.
It assumes our desired outcome is guaranteed.
This is especially important when life feels uncertain.
When things are shaky, we often try to feel safe by holding on even tighter to our plans.
We plan harder.
We prepare harder.
We manage harder.
We organize harder.
We research harder.
We worry harder.
And sometimes we call it responsibility.
But deep down, we might just be afraid of losing control.
Now, hear this carefully.
God is not calling us to be passive.
God is not calling us to stop thinking ahead.
God is not calling us to abandon wisdom.
God is not calling us to drift through life.
Make the plan.
Build the budget.
Schedule the appointment.
Prepare wisely.
Think ahead.
Work diligently.
Take responsibility.
Use wisdom.
But do all these things while trusting God and being open to His will.
Do it saying, “Lord, You are God, and I am not. You know tomorrow, and I do not. You rule the future, and I depend on You for every breath.”
That’s the attitude James wants us to have.
The problem is not the calendar.
The problem is the heart that thinks the calendar is sovereign.
The problem is not the plan.
The problem is the heart that trusts the plan more than the Lord.
The problem is not preparation.
The real issue is when we think being prepared means we don’t need God.
James lovingly confronts us here.
He calls us away from arrogant presumption.
He calls us away from godless self-confidence.
He calls us away from planning as though tomorrow belongs to us.
Instead, he invites us to depend on God with humility.
Because steady believers are not people who have every outcome under control.
Steady believers are those who remember that God is in charge of every outcome.
So yes, plan.
But plan humbly.
Yes, prepare.
But prepare prayerfully.
Yes, think about tomorrow.
But do not boast in tomorrow.
Yes, work diligently.
But remember that every breath, every chance, every success, and every day we have is a gift from God.
James warns us about the danger of making plans without God.
But in verse 14, he explains why this kind of thinking is so unwise.
It Is Important to Remember That Tomorrow Is Unknown and Life Is Brief
James continues in verse 14:
James 4:14 ESV
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
James points out two truths that should humble us.
They’re not difficult to understand.
But they can be hard to accept in daily life.
First, James says we do not know what tomorrow will bring.
He says,
“…yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.”
That’s not meant as an insult.
It’s just the truth.
We can plan tomorrow.
We can schedule tomorrow.
We can prepare for tomorrow.
We can make educated guesses about tomorrow.
We can look at trends and patterns.
We can make wise decisions based on the information we have.
But we really don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
Tomorrow may bring joy.
Tomorrow may bring sorrow.
Tomorrow may bring strength.
Tomorrow may bring weakness.
Tomorrow may bring opportunity.
Tomorrow may bring loss.
Tomorrow may bring encouragement.
Tomorrow may bring difficulty.
Tomorrow may bring an open door.
Tomorrow may bring a closed door.
We do not know what tomorrow will bring.
And, that’s one reason why not knowing the future is so hard.
It is not just that we do not like hard things.
It’s that we don’t like being unsure about what’s coming.
We want to know what is coming.
We want to know how the situation will turn out.
We want to know whether the test results will be good.
We want to know whether the money will be enough.
We want to know whether the relationship will improve.
We want to know whether the trouble will pass.
We want to know whether tomorrow will feel safe.
And James says, very plainly, “You do not know.”
Again, that is not meant to be cruel.
It is meant to be humbling.
One big mistake we make is thinking that making a plan means we know what will happen.
We think that because we have made a plan, we know what will happen.
But having a plan isn’t the same as knowing the future.
A calendar is not a guarantee.
A budget is not a guarantee.
A doctor’s appointment is not a guarantee.
A retirement plan is not a guarantee.
A ministry strategy is not a guarantee.
A family plan is not a guarantee.
Those things may be wise. They may be good. They may be responsible.
But those things aren’t in control.
James is reminding us that tomorrow does not belong to us.
We can write things on the calendar, but we cannot command the day.
We can make plans, but we cannot govern providence.
We can prepare, but we cannot see the future.
That should remind us to stay humble.
Then James gives us the second humbling reality.
Not only is tomorrow unknown, but life is brief.
He asks,
“What is your life?”
That’s a question that really makes us think.
What is your life?
James is forcing us to stop and consider something we often avoid.
How stable is it really?
How permanent is it really?
How long is it really?
How much control over it do you really have?
Then James answers his own question:
“For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
A mist is real, but it is temporary.
It appears, but it does not remain.
It is visible for a moment, and then it is gone.
You see it early in the morning. It hangs over the field. For a little while it looks thick and present. But then the sun rises, the day moves on, and the mist disappears.
James says, “That is your life.”
That’s a humbling thought.
Now, James is not saying life is meaningless.
He’s saying that life doesn’t last long.
And there is a difference.
The Bible does not teach us that our lives are insignificant. We are made in the image of God. We are created by God. We are accountable to God. Every human life has dignity, value, and meaning before God.
But James is reminding us that our lives are brief.
And because life is short, it’s also important.
The fact that life is short doesn’t make it less important. It actually makes it more urgent.
Our time matters.
Our choices matter.
Our words matter.
Our obedience matters.
Our relationships matter.
Our worship matters.
Our repentance matters.
Our witness matters.
Our faithfulness matters.
If life is a mist, then today matters.
If life is brief, then obedience matters.
If our days are numbered, then how we spend those days matters.
So the point is not, “Life is short, so nothing matters.”
The point is, life is short, so don’t waste it.
Do not waste it in pride.
Do not waste it in fear.
Do not waste it in bitterness.
Do not waste it in prayerlessness.
Do not waste it in delayed obedience.
Do not waste it pretending that you are sovereign.
Do not waste it living for things that cannot bear the weight of eternity.
Knowing life is short shouldn’t make us careless.
It should make us wise.
And that brings us to the key truth of this verse:
Not knowing the future shouldn’t make us panic. It should help us stay humble.
James does not say, “You do not know tomorrow, so panic.”
He does not say, “Your life is a mist, so despair.”
He does not say, “You are fragile, so live in fear.”
He says these things to humble us before the Lord.
This verse reminds us of the Creator-creature distinction.
God is eternal.
We are not.
God knows tomorrow.
We do not.
God rules tomorrow.
We cannot.
God sustains our life.
We depend on Him for every breath.
Every heartbeat is mercy.
Every breath is a gift.
Every morning we wake up is grace.
Every day we are given is stewardship.
That is not meant to crush the believer.
It’s meant to help us see our place before God.
We are not sovereign.
But we are not abandoned.
We are not in control.
But our Father is.
We need to remember both of these truths at the same time.
If we only say, “I am not in control,” we may fall into fear.
But if we say, “I’m not in control, but God is,” then we can start to find peace.
That’s the difference between being afraid of the unknown and trusting God with humility.
The unbelieving heart says, “I do not know tomorrow, and no one is really in control.”
But faith says, “I do not know tomorrow, but God does.”
The unbelieving heart says, “Life is brief, so I need to grab everything I can.”
But faith says, “Life is brief, so I need to live faithfully before the Lord.”
The unbelieving heart says, “I am fragile, so I must protect myself at all costs.”
But faith says, “I am fragile, but I am held by the everlasting God.”
That’s what James wants us to learn.
And this truth should affect the way we live.
If life is a mist, bitterness is too expensive.
Some of us hold onto anger as though we have endless time to make things right.
We do not.
If life is a mist, delayed obedience is too dangerous.
Some people keep saying, “I will obey later. I will repent later. I will get serious about the Lord later. I will deal with that sin later. I will make that right later.”
But James says, “You do not know what tomorrow will bring.”
If life is a mist, prayerlessness is too proud.
Because prayerlessness says, “I can live this day without consciously depending on God.”
If life is a mist, neglecting Christ is too foolish.
Because nothing matters more than being right with Him.
If life is a mist, wasting our lives on lesser things is too tragic.
Because we were not made merely to exist, consume, worry, work, and die.
We were made to know God, worship God, obey God, love others, bear witness to Christ, and live for what will last forever.
So the brevity of life is not meant to make us despair.
It’s meant to wake us up to what matters.
Psalm 90:12 says:
Psalm 90:12 ESV
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
That is exactly what James is doing.
He is teaching us to number our days.
Not so we’ll feel gloomy.
Not so we’ll feel stuck.
Not so we’ll become afraid.
But so we’ll become wise.
Wise enough to trust God with tomorrow.
Wise enough to obey God today.
Wise enough to stop boasting in plans.
Wise enough to stop delaying repentance.
Wise enough to stop treating earthly things as ultimate.
Wise enough to live with eternity in mind.
We do not know tomorrow.
But we do know what faithfulness looks like today.
You may not know what next year will bring.
But you can be faithful today.
You may not know what will happen with your health.
But you can trust the Lord today.
You may not know what will happen in your family.
But you can love, forgive, pray, and obey today.
You may not know what will happen in the world.
But you can stand firm in Christ today.
You may not know what doors will open or close.
But you can walk humbly with God today.
That’s what it means to live a steady life.
A steady life doesn’t mean having everything about tomorrow figured out.
A steady life is one that trusts God, who already knows what tomorrow holds.
So if planning without God is pride, and if we don’t know what tomorrow brings and life is short, how should we live as Christians?
James tells us in verse 15.
We Need to Submit Every Plan to God’s Will
James says in verse 15:
James 4:15 ESV
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
This is how Christians should approach the future.
“If the Lord wills.”
James isn’t giving us a magic phrase to say.
He is not telling us to tack those words onto the end of every sentence as though the words themselves make us humble.
This is not a superstition.
This is not a religious slogan.
It’s not about saying the right words if our hearts are still proud.
James is talking about having a heart that’s surrendered to God.
“If the Lord wills” means, “Lord, I have plans, but You are sovereign.”
“If the Lord wills” means, “Lord, I have desires, but You have authority.”
“If the Lord wills” means, “Lord, I have hopes, but Your purposes are wiser than mine.”
“If the Lord wills” means, “Lord, I do not know tomorrow, but I trust You with it.”
And notice the wording in verse 15:
“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
Before we can do anything, we must live.
That is humbling.
We do not depend only on God for the success of our plans.
We depend on God for the breath required to make them.
Every heartbeat is mercy.
Every breath is a gift.
Every day is grace.
Every opportunity is stewardship.
So the Christian life is not planless.
The Christian life is about surrendering to God.
James is not calling us to stop planning.
He’s calling us to make plans while trusting God’s leadership.
He is not calling us to stop working.
He’s calling us to work while depending on God.
He is not calling us to stop preparing.
He’s calling us to prepare, but to do it humbly.
He is not calling us to stop looking ahead.
He wants us to look ahead, but not act like we own the future.
And this matters because “If the Lord wills” is not resignation to fate.
We are not surrendering to chance.
We are not surrendering to chaos.
We are not surrendering to random events.
We’re trusting God’s wise, holy, and loving will.
For believers, God’s will always comes with His love.
That does not mean God’s will is always easy.
Sometimes His will leads through suffering.
Sometimes His will includes waiting.
Sometimes His will redirects us.
Sometimes His will humbles us.
Sometimes His will exposes how much we were trusting in ourselves.
Sometimes His will takes us through roads we never would have chosen for ourselves.
But for those who belong to Christ, God’s will is never detached from His covenant love.
And we see that most clearly in Jesus.
In the garden of Gethsemane, as He faced the cross, Jesus prayed:
“Not as I will, but as you will.”
The Son of God submitted Himself fully to the will of the Father.
Not because the path was easy.
It was not.
Not because there was no suffering.
There was suffering.
Not because obedience was painless.
It cost Him everything.
But because the will of the Father was wise, holy, good, and saving.
And through the suffering of Christ, God accomplished the salvation of His people.
At the cross, it looked like everything was falling apart.
To the disciples, it looked like the plan had failed.
It looked like evil had won.
It looked like hope had been buried.
It looked like the future had gone dark.
But heaven was not panicking.
God was not surprised.
God was not defeated.
God was not reacting.
God was ruling.
The cross was not an accident.
The cross was the will of God for the redemption of His people.
And if God ruled over the darkest day in history for the eternal good of His people, then we can trust Him with every uncertain tomorrow.
That’s why we can be confident.
Not that life will always be easy.
Not that every plan will succeed.
Not that we will always understand what God is doing.
But we know that the God who gave His Son for us is wise, good, in control, and faithful—so we can trust Him with our lives.
So when James teaches us to say, “If the Lord wills,” he is not pushing us into fear.
He’s showing us how to find real rest.
He’s teaching us how to live as people who trust their Creator.
He’s teaching us to make plans without making them the most important thing.
He’s teaching us to face uncertainty without letting it control us.
He’s showing us how to stay steady even when the world isn’t.
We do not control tomorrow.
But we know the God who does.
We are not in control.
But we are not abandoned.
So plan humbly.
Remember your life is brief.
Submit your future to the Lord.
And trust the God who holds tomorrow.
That’s how we can live with steady faith until Jesus returns.
How Do We Live This Out?
So how do we live this out?
If tomorrow is in God’s hands, if life is short, and if we cannot predict what will happen next, James is not telling us to stop making plans. Instead, he wants us to stop planning as if we do not need God.
Here are three simple ways we can put this into practice.
---
Plan prayerfully.
Make plans.
Plan your week.
Plan your finances.
Plan for your family.
Plan for ministry.
Plan for the future.
There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is often wise.
But do not make plans without first bringing them to God.
When we make plans without prayer, it often shows we are relying on ourselves.
Before asking God to bless what we have planned, we should first make sure we have given those plans to Him.
So pray before the decision.
Pray during the planning.
Pray when plans change.
Pray when doors open.
Pray when doors close.
Pray when you do not know what to do next.
Prayer is one of the best ways to say, “Lord, I am not in control, but I trust You.”
So go ahead and make plans, but do it with prayer.
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Hold on to tomorrow with an open hand.
Tomorrow is important, but it is not ours to control.
Sometimes we cling so tightly to our plans that when God changes them, we feel lost.
But when we trust God, we learn to let go and hold tomorrow with open hands.
“Lord, if You allow it, I will do this.
Lord, if You redirect me, I will follow.
Lord, if You close the door, I will trust You.
Lord, if You change the plan, I will not accuse You of being unfaithful.”
That does not mean changed plans do not hurt.
Sometimes they hurt deeply.
But we should not treat our plans as if they are the most important thing.
Living with open hands does not mean we care less about what happens.
It means we are choosing to trust God more.
So hold on to tomorrow lightly, because it belongs to your Father.
---
Be faithful in your obedience today.
We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know what it means to obey God today.
Love your family today.
Repent today.
Forgive today.
Pray today.
Serve today.
Worship today.
Encourage someone today.
Open the Word today.
Trust Christ today.
You do not have to know everything about tomorrow to obey God today.
That truth sets us free.
You do not have to see the whole path to take your next step of obedience.
You do not need to understand every detail of God’s plan to trust Him.
You do not have to control the future to be faithful right now.
So just do the next right thing before God.
Take your next step of obedience.
Say the next faithful word.
Pray your next honest prayer.
Show your next act of love.
Trust Christ once more.
Keep doing this until He returns.
That is what it means to live a steady life.
Plan prayerfully.
Hold tomorrow loosely.
Obey today faithfully.
Stay steady until He comes.
So What?
How does this change the way we move forward?
So what difference does James 4:13–15 make in our lives?
It shows us what a steady life looks like when we face an uncertain future.
A life shaped by this passage is not one where every plan works out, every door stays open, or every tomorrow is easy to understand.
James is not promising that.
Instead, he shows us how to live faithfully under God's will.
It is a life defined by humility.
We stop talking as if tomorrow is ours, pretending we control every outcome or acting like our plans are in charge.
We learn to say, “God is God, and I am not.”
But that humility does not weigh us down.
Even though we are not in control, we are not alone.
This is a life anchored in steadiness.
When our plans succeed, we give thanks.
When plans fail, we respond with trust.
When doors open, we walk through them with humility.
When doors close, we wait faithfully.
When life changes, we may grieve, but we do not have to fall apart.
Our peace does not depend on how stable our plans are.
Our peace comes from who God is.
It is a life marked by faithfulness.
Each day matters because life is short.
Each day has a purpose; no day is wasted.
Each day is not just about getting by until things improve.
Every day is a gift from God.
Each day is a chance to show love.
Each day is a time when repentance matters.
Each day is a time to offer forgiveness.
Each day is a time for worship.
Each day is a chance to obey God.
Each day is a time to trust Christ.
Over time, a church shaped by this passage becomes a different kind of people.
Not frantic.
Not indifferent.
Not prideful.
Not despairing.
But humble.
Prayerful.
Faithful.
Steady.
A people who know their lives are brief, but also know they are held by the everlasting God.
A people who do not know what tomorrow will bring, but know the God who holds tomorrow.
A people who can say from the heart:
“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
As we move forward, we do not need to control tomorrow.
We need to trust the One who does.
We do not have to live trapped by fear of the future.
We need to live faithfully before the Lord today.
That is what it means to live a steady life.
A life that is humble before God.
A life held by God.
A life surrendered to God.
A life that is faithful today and trusts Him with tomorrow.
Steady until He comes.
When The Future Feels Uncertain
James has spoken clearly to the church.
We do not know what tomorrow will bring.
Our lives are like a mist.
We are not God.
However, this truth is not intended to discourage us.
Instead, it is meant to cultivate humility.
Humility before God is not a position of fear, but one of safety.
The God who holds tomorrow is not distant.
He is not confused.
He is not careless.
He is not weak.
He does not merely react to history as it unfolds.
He is sovereign.
He is wise.
He is faithful.
He is Father to all who are in Christ.
We know we can trust Him because of the cross.
When Jesus went to the cross, it appeared that everything was falling apart.
It looked like evil had won.
It looked like hope had died.
It looked like the future had gone dark.
But God was not surprised.
God was not defeated.
God was ruling.
The cross was not the failure of God’s plan.
The cross was the fulfillment of God’s plan.
If God ruled over the darkest day in history for the eternal good of His people, we can trust Him with every uncertain tomorrow.
So make your plans.
Do not place your trust in them.
Look toward the future.
Do not boast about it.
Prepare wisely.
Do not trust your preparation more than you trust God.
Hold your life with open hands.
Say this not only with your lips, but also with your heart:
“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
We are not in control.
But we are not abandoned.
Our lives are like a mist.
But we are held by the everlasting God.
Christ has come.
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ is coming again.
So live humbly.
Live faithfully.
Live dependent.
Live ready.
Live steady.
Steady until He comes.
Amen.
Let’s pray.
Father, we come before You humbled by Your Word.
You have reminded us that we do not know what tomorrow will bring, and that our lives are a mist. Forgive us for the times we have spoken, planned, worried, and lived as though tomorrow belonged to us.
Teach us to say from the heart, “If the Lord wills.”
Help us to plan prayerfully, hold tomorrow loosely, and obey You faithfully today. Steady our hearts when the future feels uncertain. Remind us that we are not in control, but we are not abandoned.
Thank You that our lives are held by You, and that our future is secure in Christ. Make us humble, prayerful, faithful, and steady until He comes.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
May the Lord teach you to number your days, that you may gain a heart of wisdom.
May He keep you humble before His will, faithful with the day He has given, and steady when tomorrow feels uncertain.
And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and keep your whole spirit and soul and body blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
Amen.
Be Blessed to be a blessing.
- - James 4:13ESV
- - James 4:14ESV
- - Psalm 90:12ESV
- - James 4:15ESV

It Is Important to Recognize the Danger of Planning Without God

It Is Important to Remember That Tomorrow Is Unknown and Life Is Brief

We Need to Submit Every Plan to God’s Will

How Do We Live This Out?

Plan prayerfully.

Hold on to tomorrow with an open hand.

Be faithful in your obedience today.

So What?

When The Future Feels Uncertain

James 4:13ESV

James 4:14ESV

Psalm 90:12ESV

James 4:15ESV