2014 - What Does the Future Hold?

What will the New Year of 2014 bring us?

It’s the great unknown, for the most part. And that can be stressful and scary.

There many are questions about what the future holds and the uncertainties many are facing in the New Year. What will happen in our homes and in our country and around the world in the coming months? What will happen with the economy? There are uncertainties with employment or concerns over finances. What about health related issues? There are worries about the fragile nature of the world’s affairs with contentions and wars and scattered hot spots. There seems to be an increase in the frequency and severity of natural calamities. And most concerning, is the blatant war on spirituality that seems to be gaining ground all around us.

While pondering and praying about these things and our current state of affairs, a welcome response was received. It was both interesting and calming. These promptings brought me welcome feelings of peace and assurance and comfort. Here are the responses to the questions and concerns about what the future holds: 

• In 2014, the Lord will continue to be in control!
• We can rest assured and take comfort that the 'right' will win in the end.
• Christ’s church will continue to grow and cover the earth, and it will continue to be a refuge from the storms of life – temporal and spiritual and all others.
• The Lord will continue to bless and prosper those that are faithful and true and are striving to live the commandments and be devoted disciples of the Master.
• There will be more challenges to test our faithfulness and they will give us opportunities to exercise faith. There will be challenges in health, finances, relationships, employment, and more. How we respond to them and learn from them is much more significant than the nature of the challenges themselves.
• There will continue to be a greater division between the standards of the gospel and the standards of the world. Our test and our ultimate safety is to be consistent in choosing the higher, moral standards for ourselves and our families.
• There will be an increased acceptance of evil and sinful behavior by much of the world. There will continue to be an increase in the liberalization of sacred, holy standards. There will be an increase in movements and social opinions and legislative actions that will deteriorate the moral fabric of society and belittle sacred things.
• And lastly, we are yet one year closer to the glorious return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We should continue to look for the signs of His return and prepare ourselves for the blessings of participating in that great and long, sought-after event.

With all of this in mind, our future is certainly most bright. It’s comforting to know the Lord is in control. It's good to be reminded of how much He cares for us, how much He is involved in the details of our lives, and how much He loves us!

And it’s good to know that our God is a God of second chances.

Wm. Calvin Hughes

January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!