11 Send your grain across the seas,
    and in time, profits will flow back to you.
² But divide your investments among many places,
    for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.

³ When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
    Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.

⁴ Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
    If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

⁵ Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.

⁶ Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Dear God, I would summarize this passage to say, “Live vibrantly in your ignorance.” I’ll never know your whole plan. How could I? In fact, I don’t necessarily want to. In fact, I definitely don’t want to. For anyone who has seen the movie Encanto, there is a reason they don’t talk about Bruno. Knowing the future is a heavy burden.

On the other hand…I will say that I was reading that Nancy French memoir Ghosted: An American Story this week, and there was one part where a prophet spoke a word to them about their future. My first reaction was, “Oh, no way. I don’t want to hear that.” But the prophecy spoken over them actually (and accurately) warned them of some bad news they were going to get, but to not believe the bad news. It would be wrong. So when the bad news came they ended up responding through the comfort you gave them through the prophecy and they held on until everything played out and they didn’t have to worry.

I’ll say that I could use a word like that for a couple of the sorrows in my life. I would love for someone credible to come up to me and tell me with your voice that you see this sorrow and it’s part of the plan. That’s all I would need to hear. I don’t need to know how it works out. I just want to hear that it’s part of your plan. Frankly, I would also love to hear if it is not part of your plan and there is something I can do that I haven’t thought of to address it. Either way, it would be an extra comfort to tangibly feel that reassurance. Right now, I’m just believing it anyway and trying to listen to your Holy Spirit for comfort and any instructions you might have for me.

Father, I am just going to do my work today in my ignorance. I don’t know at any given time if I am doing something that will bring fruit for your kingdom. I do know that, looking back, you have provided for us unreasonably well, and I am grateful. Both in my work and in my home life, you have provided for me very well. You have given me good friends too. And I cannot forget my amazing wife. And oh how I love my children. So here I am to worship you, work hard today, and celebrate the things you are doing that I can both see and not see. Through all of this, help me to do it for your glory. Help me to decrease as you increase.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen