Holding Joy in the Unknown

There’s something powerful about anticipation. When you know something wonderful is ahead—a long-awaited trip, a celebration, a reunion—you carry that joy with you before it even arrives. It changes how you move through ordinary days.

Psalm 31:19 reminds us that we don’t have to manufacture excitement or engineer constant highlights to feel hope. God already has good stored up for His children. His goodness isn’t random, fragile, or dependent on our planning. It is abundant, intentional, and secure.

The beauty of faith is this: even when we cannot see the details of what’s ahead, we know the character of the One who holds tomorrow. And that is more than enough reason for joy.

Key Scripture

“How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.” — Psalm 31:19

Highlights

• Anticipation shapes our perspective—even before the blessing arrives

• God’s goodness isn’t limited to heaven; He blesses us here and now

• Our plans are fragile, but God’s promises are faithful

• We can hold joy in the unknown because we know God’s character

• The goodness God has stored up surpasses what we could imagine for ourselves

Intersecting Faith & Life

• Are you constantly trying to create something to look forward to?

• What would change if you truly believed that God already has good ahead for you?

• Today, shift your hope from circumstances you control to the character of the God who controls tomorrow.

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Full Transcript Below:

The Goodness of God That Awaits You

By Keri Eichberger

Bible Reading:
How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. - Psalm 31:19

I don’t desire to be surprised much anymore. Not in specific ways like I once did, anyway. I used to have this dream of being suddenly and spontaneously whisked away on a tropical getaway. With bags pre-packed, child-care pre-planned, and every detail prepared. That is, until I went on enough planned vacations and experienced all the extra enjoyment that’s front-loaded in the anticipation of the known good to come. Think about it. It’s extremely hard to get excited about something awesome you have no idea is about to happen. But if you know the grand plan that’s ahead, you can hold great hope. You can even make it through the mundane and monotonous moments of life while your eyes feast on the beauty and sparkle that dangle in front of you. 

And for this reason, I’ve been overly guilty of always attempting to have something fun planned in order to consistently have something to look forward to. But honestly, I’m not super proud of this heart posture. And here’s why. I know God is good. I know he has given me good on this very day. I know he is faithful and will continue to show up with good gifts in every single season of my life. And so I know I should be holding tighter to these truths. 

How about you? Do you like surprises? Or would you prefer to know what’s coming so you can enjoy the anticipation? Maybe you’ll take either, you just like any reason to smile and celebrate. I get that too.

Well, what if we could approach every day like we know vacation is coming tomorrow? What if we knew that what was ahead was going to be fantastic and full of blessings? And what if I told you, it’s true. Because it is. The Bible promises that God has good in store for us, for those who love him.

There is indeed beauty and sparkle ahead. We can be confident in that. We can get excited about that. Because it most definitely and abundantly is true. I know you can’t always see and perceive it. But honestly, I can’t actually see the exact sweetness that will show up in my upcoming vacations either. I can dream up scenarios. But to be honest, sometimes it’s not as good as what I dreamed of. My human hopes are flimsy and fallible, and they fail me. And whatever you can create or plan or try to control to your liking is unreliable and lacks certain goodness, too. But our faith shouldn’t be in the good we can manifest and make happen; our faith should be in the unfailing goodness of our mighty and good God.

And what’s amazing about God is that what he has in store is even better than what we have dreamed up. Because His plans and ways are good and perfect and always more full of blessing than ours. So we can stay excited in the unknown because of what is known. For those of us who love God, he has good in store. An abundance of good. And not just in heaven—though that is our ultimate hope and joy—but he also has blessings to bestow in our sight here on earth. This is a promise worth getting excited about today and every day.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Instead of becoming consumed with constantly creating exciting circumstances, or demanding and dictating our own ideal situations, we can set our hope-filled hearts and hold a joy-filled faith in God’s goodness. We can hold hope and joy that an awesome tomorrow is coming. And then another and another. Because our good God is awesome. And he has abundant and good things stored up for you who love him, for you he loves. 

If you liked what you read, I think you will love my latest book, Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes. You can find it on Amazon or your favorite online retail site. I hope it blesses you!

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