How to be peaceful in the midst of uncertainty

We’ve all had to deal with uncertainty in our lives. Will I get that job I so desperately need? Will the surgery go well? Will I make friends in a new city? So much of life is unknown, a series of transitions from one thing to the next, one season to the next. The future lies unwritten and terrifying in its blankness.

Yet Jesus again and again tells His apostles, “Peace be with you,” and “Do not be afraid.” To these statements, we often ask the very human question of: How? While the peace that Jesus offers sometimes comes entirely from the Lord as a gift of grace, other times, it requires action on our part. After all, grace builds on nature and cooperates with our actions. In the spirit of working towards peace, and attempting to be not afraid, here are four ways of searching for and maintaining the peace Christ offers in the midst of life’s uncertainties.

1. Prayer

While this first one is not necessarily a surprise, it is surprisingly easy to forget. When uncertainty takes center stage, we scramble and stress, and often neglect to turn to the One who always has open ears for us. 

Yes, God knows all that we do; He knows our resting and our rising. He knows the certainty beneath our uncertainty. He knows the truth of who we are without us ever breathing a word. It is important to tell Him all about it anyway. Not only is this spiritually important, but it is also  a human therapeutic tactic; speaking our fears takes away some of their weight. It also builds up our relationship with God, helps us to learn that He is with us, and unites our suffering to that of His Son. 

2. Surrender

While conversational prayer with the Lord can be helpful, sometimes we need something short and sweet to combat uncertainty. A simple rote prayer, an act of surrender, can do wonders for maintaining our peace, and will help us to recognize that we are not in control of our own lives, God is. It can be as simple as whispering: I surrender this to you Lord. Or, we can use a prayer such as this one by St. Ignatius:

All of our suffering, pain, humiliation, and yes, uncertainty can be offered up to the Lord and united with the suffering of Jesus Christ. Surrendering to God, offering Him our uncertainty and placing ourselves in a position of humility brings us closer to Christ’s ultimate emptying of self and suffering on the cross. 

3. Gratitude

Uncertainty about the future can bring chaos to every aspect of our lives. It is important to remember that some things we do know for sure; not all parts of our lives are in a state of free fall. In these moments, we can dwell on the good parts of our life, fostering gratitude for them. Take a moment and think of the things you have now. Whether it be health, friends, family, or faith, or all of the things that God has already given us. Fear can overwhelm us; taking a moment to be grateful puts our anxieties in perspective, remembering that not all aspects of our life are dismal and chaotic. Pay attention to what goes well, the little blessings of each day — sunsets, well-steeped tea, a child smiling. Don’t lose sight of the small beautiful things by focusing on the anxiety of the future. In addition, thinking of the ways in which God has already blessed us, and continues to do so, can help us to trust that He will bless us in this upcoming uncertainty as well. 

4. The next good thing

The scariest part of the future is that it is out of our control. This lack of control is often paralyzing; because we do not know what will happen in the future, we freeze in the present, feeling choked on uncertainty. And while prayer, acts of surrender, and gratitude  are all helpful, they do not do much to rid us of the sense that we are out of control. At times like this, we need to simply do the next good thing. 

The future is out of our control; very well, let’s put our attention and effort into what we can control. Live St. Therese’s little way, making each moment, each action, an act of worship for the Lord. We do not know if we will get that job. We do not know if the surgery will go well. We do not know what friends we may find in our new city. But we can do all of our small daily tasks with the love and attention they deserve. Let God worry about the future; the here and now is our gift of opportunity — our present.