There is a lot of uncertainty in our world right now.

We have no idea how or when this global pandemic will end, or how many times lockdowns will happen. We also don’t know what any of this means for our loved ones, our jobs, or the state of our countries.

As human beings, we like certainty. We like stability. We like knowing what to expect. Uncertainty and fear of the future can feel like we are standing on shifting sand.

Our world causes uncertainty for sure– but our own focus can also exacerbate our uncertainty.

Rock vs. Sand

[Jesus said:] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

Matthew 7:24-27

In this story, Jesus shows us that life will bring us chaos and storms– God is our rock. Focusing on God brings us stability.

Consumer culture wants us to constantly put our focus on our net worth, job title, “success,” and notoriety. But in the middle of a pandemic, it becomes clear that these things do not offer us stability. When we focus on these things, our house is built on sand. We can lose sight of what truly matters.

God Our Rock

But when we, with God’s help, focus on God and the most important things, our house is built on a rock. We have stability even when storms rage around us.

Christian minimalism aims to refocus our lives on what matters most. When we do that, we have stability with God because we know what’s most important.

We tend to derive our identity and stability from that which is sand, that which consumerism holds most dear– wealth, job title, possessions, worldly accolades. God invites us to instead derive our identity and stability from God’s unconditional, loving embrace.

Even in the midst of uncertainty, God is our rock. God is the constant when everything else is chaotically swirling around us. God is holding us and loving us. We are secure.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2

May we cling to God our rock during these uncertain times.