A Future Already Known

The Voice of Zion August 2025 - Editorial --

The world of work and opportunity has changed. Some industries have shifted dramatically, and individuals – even highly trained ones – have had to rethink their path or start over entirely. But alongside these changes, there are doors opening. Help-wanted signs are posted, and new kinds of work are emerging. For a young person stepping into this landscape, the challenge may not be the absence of options, but the weight of choosing among them.

Uncertainty is not new. Scripture is full of people who walked forward without knowing what came next: Abraham setting out from his home, Ruth leaving Moab, the exiled Israelites wondering if they would ever return. God’s people have always lived with unknowns. But they have also always lived with a promise.

One of the most reassuring promises was given to young exiles in Babylon. They longed for home and clarity, and to them God said: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jer. 29:11).

It wasn’t a promise of ease. It was a promise of remembrance, purpose, and divine direction. That same promise stands today. Though the future may seem uncertain, it is not unknown. God holds it – and us – in His hands.

We were created with a mind to think and energy to work. These abilities are given in different ways and measures, but they are gifts from the heavenly Father. Whatever our daily work may be – studying and learning, helping at home, raising children, building businesses, caring for others, solving problems – we want to honor these gifts. Our gifts may lead us to academic study or to hone practical skills through apprenticeships, learning a trade or developing hands-on talents. Scripture tells us, “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as unto the Lord” (Col. 3:23).

Doing something wholeheartedly requires trust. Trust that God will bless the effort. Trust that He is near, even if we don’t know where the road leads. That trust shows itself in prayer, learning, persistence – and faith.

Gifts often begin as small interests. A mind pulled toward music, machines, people, or design may be sensing the spark of a calling. But even interests need to be uncovered and nurtured. God allows us space to discover, to grow, and to delight in learning. Our motivation is shaped not only by what is in us, but also by what surrounds us. Within this time and space, we may be surprised by what takes root and grows.

Even Martin Luther, living in a time of upheaval, urged young people to prepare diligently – not to control their future, but to be ready to serve wherever God placed them. “God does not need your good works,” he said, “but your neighbor does.” For Luther, education and skill were ways to love others and serve faithfully in whatever role God provided.

What if we fail?

We will, sometimes. Not all efforts end in achievement. Dreams shift. Start-ups falter. Some lose motivation entirely. But failure isn’t the end. It teaches, refines, and reorients. It reminds us that our lives are not self-made, but God-led. He does not measure us by success, but by faithfulness. His plans remain – even when ours fall apart.

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established” (Prov. 16:3).

So we go forward in gladness. Our path is toward heaven, but it runs through this world – with its learning curves, heartbreaks, and joys. God walks with us. Our gifts and interests can point our way through this life. The future may unfold differently than we expect, but the One who holds it never changes.