Call me a nerd, but the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the term uncertainty is Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.

This principle asserts that there is a “fundamental limit to the precision with which the values for certain pairs of physical quantities of a particle, such as position, x, and momentum, p, can be predicted from initial conditions”. As a concrete example, for any given quantum particle, we cannot know both its position and velocity with certainty.

If we cannot even determine with certainty where a particle is and where it is going, how can we have certainty of where we are and where we will be going? But often we do. We assume that life will go on, that our plans will stand. We plan for school, for work, for promotions, and we start to think we are entitled to these things. To be sure, planning is good and beneficial, but planning without considering God is foolishness.

COVID-19 has been, among other things, a huge wake-up call to our frailty and lack of knowledge. Who knew that in a twinkling of an eye, the world would be shut down? Who could have imagined that we now automatically walk a 6ft berth of any other human being we see?

As James rebukes: “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”— 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. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:14-17).

This is almost ironically applicable – how many of us have had travel and work plans interrupted? Surely we are but a mist and have nothing to boast in.

However, we are not left alone in our uncertainty. God has given His people a very certain and precious promise: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). We KNOW, in all certainty, with no limit of precision, that for those who love God ALL THINGS work together for GOOD. All things, both the best and the worst. In the worst, including afflictions, temptations, sin, He refines us and purifies our hearts. In the best, He increases our faith and joy. In all things, He gives us more grace.

Why do we have this certainty? Because our God who makes this promise is a covenant keeper and He works all things according to His purpose. As Thomas Watson exposits so beautifully in his book “All Things For Good”, “Our graces are imperfect, our comforts ebb and flow—but God’s foundation stands sure. They who are built upon this rock of God’s eternal purpose, need not fear falling away; neither the power of man, nor the violence of temptation, shall ever be able to overturn them!”

So to those who love God, let us ever more love Him! Let us fix our eyes and hearts on our loving Father, and delight in His presence above all. Let us spend the time He has given us in communing with Him and loving others. And let us ever give thanks to this God who loves us so!

And to those who do not, our heavenly Father’s arms are open wide for you. Taste and see that He is good!