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Special Post: When the Lights Flicker Off

Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash


A Quiet Chaplain Reflection on Trust When Things Feel Uncertain

I’ve been reading the headlines this week about the government shutdown and how it’s starting to ripple through everyday life. You can sense the uncertainty in people’s voices. Paychecks are delayed. Offices are closed. Plans are on hold. The news feels loud, but beneath the noise, there are quieter stories — the kind that don’t make the front page. People wondering, “Will I be okay?”

What’s interesting is how moments like this make us aware of what we depend on. We trust that systems will run smoothly, that checks will clear, that schedules will hold. But when those things pause, it exposes how fragile our sense of control really is.

As I’ve sat with this, I’ve felt the Lord whisper a gentle reminder: He hasn’t stopped working. Heaven doesn’t shut down. God’s provision isn’t subject to funding votes or deadlines. Psalm 121 says, “He who watches over Israel never slumbers nor sleeps.” That’s the truth that holds when everything else wavers — our God does not rest from His care.

In Matthew 6, Jesus told His followers not to worry about what they would eat, drink, or wear. He pointed to the birds and the flowers — simple, overlooked things — and reminded them that their Father knew every need. In context, He wasn’t promising that life would be easy; He was teaching His disciples that anxiety adds nothing to our days and that trust opens the way for peace. When Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT), He was anchoring our hearts in God’s priorities, not the world’s provisions.

That truth still speaks today. The same God who tended to the daily needs of His people in Scripture — providing manna in the desert, sending rain for crops, offering rest to the weary — is the same God who watches over us now. He doesn’t overlook the single parent worried about groceries or the worker waiting on a paycheck. He sees. He provides. He sustains.

In times of uncertainty, I often return to Psalm 37:25: “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.” David wrote that after years of seeing God’s faithfulness across seasons of lack and abundance. It’s not a promise that life will always feel easy; it’s a testimony that God’s care is constant.

Maybe this moment — uncomfortable as it is — can become an invitation to remember where our true security lies. We live in a world that runs on systems, but we serve a God who isn’t bound by them. When we rely too heavily on what we can control, these interruptions shake us. But when our trust is rooted in the unchanging character of God, we can live steady even when things around us feel uncertain.

If you’re affected by what’s happening right now, I want you to hear this: God has not forgotten you. He knows your needs before you even ask (Matthew 6:8). He understands the weight of your worries. You can bring them to Him. Lay them down in prayer. Invite Him into the waiting.

And for those who are not directly affected, this is a good time to notice the people who are. Maybe someone you know is feeling anxious or stretched thin. A simple act — a text, a meal, a kind word — can become a reminder of God’s care. He often meets needs through the quiet faithfulness of His people.

When the lights flicker — whether in the world, at work, or in our hearts — we can rest in this truth: God’s light does not dim. His love does not falter. His provision does not pause. The same God who guided Israel by fire and cloud still guides His people today.

So tonight, as you read the news or feel the weight of the unknown, take a deep breath. Remember that even when systems pause, God doesn’t. He is still the provider, the sustainer, the steady hand in the storm. The light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

Quiet Breath Prayer:
Lord, in times of uncertainty, remind us that You are not uncertain. When our plans pause, Your purpose continues. Help us to trust Your provision, rest in Your care, and reflect Your peace to those around us. Amen.

Reflection Question:
What would change in my heart if I believed, today, that God truly sees and will supply every need?

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