When Moscow had its heaviest snowfall since record-keeping began in the 19th century, the storm snarled the city’s horrendous traffic, closed airports and forced pedestrians to wade through high drifts. Local public services were unable to cope. The Mayor’s response was to propose fining the weather service every time it got a forecast wrong. Officials at the weather service, which is funded by the city, reacted coolly.
None of us likes uncertainty. Never quite knowing what the future will bring can make us anxious and, like the Mayor, we may want someone to blame when things don’t turn out as expected. In our family life, at work, in the organisations we belong to, we like those on whom we rely to get it right. If they don’t, they may well receive the brunt of our disappointment, even when what happened was not their fault.
Jesus tended to upset people’s certainties. Comments like ‘blessed are the poor’, ‘the last shall be first’, ‘it’s hard for the rich to enter God’s kingdom’ challenged normal assumptions about life. Many of those who had previously felt secure in their status, in this life and the next, found him disturbing. He bore the brunt of their fury when they contributed to his death.
We all live without knowing what the future holds. Learning to deal with that anxiety is an important part of our growth as individuals. Sometimes even what we thought we were sure of is challenged by new truths or new situations. Let’s today seek the courage to be open to such new insights and react without rancour when life doesn’t go quite as we expected.
Read: Do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has enough troubles of its own. (Matthew 6.34)
Rejoice: in those whose ability to trust God for their future encourages me to trust him more.
Reflect: Where do I look for security when I’m feeling anxious?
Remember: our fears can sometimes blind us to signs of hope.
Resolve: to leave in God’s hands my worries about the future.
Tasting Life 