Today we're tackling a challenge. Every leader faces at some point uncertainty. How do you steer the ship when waters are uncharted? Whether you're navigating market disruptions, organizational transitions, unexpected crisises, or simply the unknown territory of growth in your business. Uncertainty can be one of the toughest parts of leadership. It tests our faith. It challenges our own confidence. It reveals our true foundation. But what if uncertainty isn't just something to survive, but an opportunity? An opportunity to demonstrate a different kind of leadership, one that draws from a deeper source of our personal certainty. Let's see what God's word says about facing the unknown. It's a famous verse. Amongst a group of famous verses, Psalm chapter 23, verse four says, yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. What a powerful promise for times of darkness and uncertainty. This Psalm reveals something important that we fear the unknown, we fear uncertainty. Notice David doesn't say if I walk through the valley, but though I walk through it, he recognizes that valleys of uncertainty and darkness are inevitable. They're not exceptions in our lives. They're, they're simply part of it. And in leadership, these valleys take many forms. Sometimes it's changes in the marketplace, like what we're seeing right now, a financial downturn, like what we're seeing right now, a shadow of difficult decisions without clear outcomes that probably many of us are facing in the valleys because we end up needing to lead in into places where we've never led before. In these moments, our natural response is fear. We get scared of making a wrong decision. We, we don't wanna disappoint the people who are counting on us. We fear failure. We fear exposing ourselves and our limitations and our, our fear of failure. These fears can paralyze us. They cause us to delay decisions that need to be made to, to clean, to the familiar, even though we really know it's not gonna work. We overanalyze everything to the point of all we're really doing is not doing anything we're we're not taking any action, and we present this outwardly false confidence when we actually should be asking for help. David offers a different response. He says, I will fear no evil, not because the valley isn't real, not because the shadows aren't dark, not because uncertainty isn't a genuine concern, but because he knows he's not walking through it alone. So what does this say about us? It reveals that while fear of uncertainty is natural, it doesn't have to be our final situation. Our confidence in uncertain times isn't based. On us having all the answers. It's based on us knowing the one who does. Leadership isn't about the absence of valleys, it's about how we walk through them and who we walk through them with. What does this Psalm reveal about God? First, God is our constant God and comfort in uncertain times for thou art with me, thy Rod and they staff, they comfort me. The shepherd's rod was used to protect against predators. The staff was used for guidance and directing the sheep along the right path. Together, they represent God's provision for us. He gives us protection and danger. He gives us direction and uncertainty. He helps us walk through it. This tells us that God doesn't just offer emotional comfort in difficult times. He's not just giving us a hug and a pat on the back and saying it's going to be better. He will provide practical guidance and tangible protection when we need it. He's not just sympathetic to our challenges. He's actively involved in them even when we can't see it. Second, God's presence should transform our experience of uncertainty. Notice the shift that happens in this verse. The first three verses of Psalms 23, David speaks about God. The Lord is my shepherd. He maketh me. He leaveth me. But when he enters the valley, the language changes to a direct address. For thou art with me in the darkest, most uncertain places, God doesn't become more distant. He becomes more present, more personal, more directly engaged. The relationship deepens in the valley. I think that's why so many of us finally see God, find God accepts salvation when we're in that deepest. Valley finally, God's guidance continues through uncertainty, not just after it. The comfort of the rod staff happens in the valley, not just on the other side of it. God doesn't promise that he's gonna remove all uncertainty from our path. He doesn't keep us necessarily from having to walk through the valley, but he does promise to guide us through it, to walk beside us, to comfort us along the way, and for leaders navigating uncharted waters. That promise should mean something to us. How does this give us confidence through uncertainty? First, in times of uncertainty, your spiritual foundation isn't just important. It's essential. The leaders who navigate uncertainty best are those who consistently begin their days in God's presence, not just with a task list. That's one of the reasons why I'm doing this devotional series. It's it's more for me than for anybody else because it keeps me. Thinking about God's presence, it allows me to immerse myself in scripture, which is another thing, uh, that you should do, not just reading the strategy books, not seeing the most recent business trend, but see what scripture is telling you and pray about those decisions before you jump into them. And in uncertain times. Your team doesn't need to have all the answers. They need you to be honest about the challenges while pointing towards a reason for hope. This balanced communication. We, we should acknowledge the reality of what's going on without sugarcoating it to people. Don't make things worse and don't think make things better than what they are. Share what you know and share what you don't know. Explain the principles that will guide your decisions through this valley and point to the past. Examples, the remembrance of how you overcame previous difficulties. Your teen, they should be adults. They can handle difficult news. What they can't handle is feeling misled. Or feeling like you're intentionally keeping them in the dark. When you communicate with both candor about the present and confidence about the future, you build trust that can sustain people and yourself through uncertainty. One of the greatest challenges of uncertainty is making decisions without knowing our outcomes. In these moments, let your values be your God. What you say you believe. Now's the time to believe it. When you can't predict results with certainty, we need to ask which option best aligns with our core values? What decision can I make that most reflects the character of Christ? Which path allows us to maintain integrity regardless of the outcome, good or bad? What choice would we be most proud to explain, even if it doesn't work out? Now, value-based decisions might not guarantee that you're gonna have a successful outcome, but what they do ensure is that how you navigate uncertainty reflects who you are and what you stand for. And you need to remember, you need a support system. You need to build it before uncertainty comes. No leader. Should navigate these times alone. David had his relationship with God, but it also said that he had trusted advisors, he had loyal friends, and he had fellow warriors that walked the path with him. Similarly, you need mentors who have navigated similar changes, peers who understand what you're currently going through, and those unique pressures, the unique pressures of our time and our culture. Friends who care more about you. Then about your leadership role or your business and spiritual companions, those who will pray with and for you and support those values that you need to hold when uncertainty feels overwhelming. These relationships give you perspective. They give you wisdom, they give you encouragement that you simply can't generate out of yourself. So let's review what we've learned. Valleys of uncertainty are part of every leader's journey. We naturally fear the unknown, but God will provide his constant presence and guidance. We can lead through any uncertainty by cultivating our spiritual practices, communicating honestly, making value-based intentional decisions, and building our support systems starting right now. So your challenge today is to share your uncertainties with a mentor or a peer for support. If you don't have that, start today by finding one. Identify one specific challenge you're facing where the path forward isn't clear. Then reach out. Reach out to someone you trust. A mentor, a peer, a spiritual advisor, your pastor. Small group leader, Sunday school teacher, have an honest conversation about it. Not just to get answers, but to gain some perspective, not just to solve the problems, but just to share the weight, to share the load. Because when you bring your uncertainties into the light of trusted relationships, they often become less overwhelming. They, they seem smaller. They become more manageable. Thanks for joining today's Lead in 10. I'm Chris Moore. If this message helps you share it with another leader who navigates uncharted waters right now and may need a little help from you, don't forget to subscribe for more of these weekday devotionals and until tomorrow. Remember that your confidence isn't in knowing the future, but it's knowing the one who holds it.