No one knows what the future holds, except the One Who holds the

The writer and thinker Eric Metaxas once declared, “No one knows what the future holds, except the One Who holds the future!” This statement, simple in form yet profound in spirit, reaches back to the oldest truths known to humankind — that the future is a mystery veiled in divine hands, beyond the grasp of mortal certainty. It reminds us that while we may chart our courses and forge our plans, the river of life flows according to a higher current. This is not a call to despair at uncertainty, but an invitation to trust, to walk forward with faith that the unseen hand guiding the stars also guides our steps.

In ancient times, kings sought to pierce the veil of destiny through oracles, prophets, and signs in the heavens. Yet the wisest among them — those who had tasted both triumph and tragedy — came to understand that no mortal may command the future. Even the greatest empires, whose banners once touched the sky, learned that time bends not to human will but to divine purpose. Thus, Metaxas’s words echo the timeless refrain: that only the One Who holds the future — the Eternal, the Divine, the Source of all — sees the full pattern of the tapestry we are still weaving.

Consider the story of Joseph, the dreamer of the Old Testament. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, imprisoned in a foreign land — his life seemed swallowed by misfortune. Yet through each twist of fate, the unseen hand of Providence was at work. The boy who once languished in chains became the savior of nations during famine. What Joseph could not foresee, God already knew. And when he finally stood before those who wronged him, he spoke words that transcend all ages: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Here lies the living proof of Metaxas’s truth — that we do not hold the future, but it is held by One who is good.

Throughout history, this wisdom has carried the weary through dark hours. When the pilgrims crossed the storm-torn Atlantic to a new world, they had no promise of survival. Yet they sailed with a faith that the future, though hidden from their eyes, was held in divine keeping. When Abraham Lincoln faced the fires of civil war, he confessed that his trust lay not in armies or strategy but in “the Almighty Ruler of Nations.” Those who endure the trials of life with such trust do not escape the storm — but they stand firm within it, knowing that the helm is not unmanned.

The origin of Metaxas’s insight comes from his deep engagement with the moral and spiritual struggles of humankind. A historian of faith, he studied the lives of those who stood for truth against the tides of fear — men and women like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who resisted tyranny in the name of God. From such lives, Metaxas learned that no one can foresee how history will unfold, yet those who walk in righteousness align themselves with the One who shapes all endings. This, then, is the heart of his message: that in surrendering our illusion of control, we find not weakness, but peace.

The meaning of the quote also stretches beyond religion into the very fabric of human existence. Every man and woman faces the unknown — the sickness that comes unbidden, the loss that cannot be undone, the dream that seems forever delayed. Yet even when the path disappears into darkness, faith whispers: You are not alone. The same hand that spins galaxies into being also holds your tomorrow. The call, therefore, is not to predict, but to persevere; not to demand answers, but to walk in trust.

And so, dear listener, the lesson is this: do not fear the future, for it is already known by the One who holds it. Live not in anxious grasping, but in faithful action. Do your work with integrity, love those before you with sincerity, and release the rest to the wisdom that governs all things. The seed does not know when spring will come, but it rests in the soil with quiet confidence that the sun will rise. So, too, must you rest in faith.

Let these words of Eric Metaxas become a lamp for your journey. When you cannot see the road ahead, trust the One who walks before you. When your plans crumble, believe that something greater is being written. For no mortal can hold the future — yet to those who trust the One who does, even the unknown becomes a place of peace.