Fearless Joy: Trusting God with Tomorrow

Let’s be honest: life loves to keep us on our toes. Whether it’s bills piling up, health scares, family drama, or just that endless list of “what-ifs,” thinking about the future can feel overwhelming. Our brains start writing scary stories about things that might happen—and suddenly fear sneaks in, stealing our joy today.

But Proverbs 31:25 paints a very different picture. It describes a woman so grounded in strength and dignity that she can actually laugh at what’s ahead.

Doesn’t that sound freeing?

Picture this: you’re lying in bed at night, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow you’ve got a meeting at work, your kid has a dentist appointment, and the car is making that strange noise again. Your brain runs like a hamster wheel—“What if I mess up? What if something goes wrong? What if I can’t handle it?”

We’ve all been there. And let’s be real: it’s exhausting.

Proverbs 31:25 isn’t saying you’ll never face problems. It’s not promising that your calendar will magically clear itself or that your car will never break down again. What it is saying is this: when you’re clothed in God’s strength and dignity, you don’t have to crumble under fear of the unknown.

“Strength” here isn’t about muscle power or being tough on the outside. It’s about an inner resilience that comes from trusting God. And “dignity” isn’t about fancy clothes or status—it’s about knowing your worth in Him. When those two things wrap around you like a garment, fear loses its grip.

That’s why the woman in Proverbs 31 can laugh at the future. She knows God already holds it.

So how do we actually put this verse into practice when the anxiety is real? Here are a few simple but powerful steps:

1. Shift your focus. Instead of asking, “What if everything goes wrong?” try asking, “What if God already has a way through this?” It changes everything.
2. Speak truth out loud. When fear rises, say Scripture out loud—verses like this one, or Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all this through him who gives me strength”). Hearing your own voice speak truth can silence worry.
3. Take one step, not ten. Fear often comes from trying to solve the whole future at once. Instead, ask God, “What’s the next right step for today?” and do just that.
4. Practice laughter. It might sound silly, but smiling or chuckling at your worries reminds your heart that fear doesn’t get the last word.

A well-known example of this verse in action is Oprah Winfrey. Early in her career, she faced incredible challenges—poverty, rejection, and being told she wasn’t “good enough” for television. Yet, she often shares how her faith in uncertain times and her sense of inner strength and dignity helped her face the unknown with courage.

Instead of letting fear of the future paralyze her, she leaned into strength and resilience. Today, she looks back at those moments with gratitude, even laughter, because they shaped her into the woman she became.

Her story reminds us that laughing at the future isn’t about ignoring problems—it’s about trusting God through them and finding the courage to move forward with joy.

The truth is, fear will always try to sneak in. But you don’t have to give it power. Proverbs 31:25 invites you to wrap yourself in God’s strength and dignity like a beautiful garment, and to walk into tomorrow with a smile—because your future is in safe hands.

So next time you catch yourself worrying about what’s ahead, pause and whisper: “I don’t know the future, but I know the One who holds it.” Then take a deep breath… and maybe even a laugh.

Because joy isn’t about having control. It’s about trusting the One who does.

• How have you dealt with situations that caused you anxiety?
• How do you feel about the future?
• What’s one way you remind yourself to trust God with the future?