Letter to My Younger Self

Mar 19 2024 - Eric Buresh

Reading Isaiah 46:3-4 this morning, it struck me how much I wish I would have known my Father several decades and gray hairs ago in the way I know Him today (and I hope I will have the same sense two decades from now looking back to today). Here’s what I would say if I had the chance: 

Dear Younger Self,   

I hope this letter finds you in a moment of curiosity and reflection. There's something timeless I want to share with you, a truth that has sustained me through the winds of unstoppable change and the storms of uncertainty. It's a promise written in the ancient words of Isaiah 46:3-4, a promise that I want you to make your own and hold close to your heart: 

"Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." 

In those moments of doubt, when the world feels like an uncharted territory and the path ahead seems totally obscure, remember this: you are not alone. From the very beginning, the Creator has been with you, upholding you since the day you took your first breath. Life's journey, with its twists and turns, is not a solitary one. You are carried by unseen hands, guided through the valleys, and lifted upon the mountaintops. 

As you navigate the complexities of youth, comfort in the assurance that this journey is not about having all the answers. Life is a tapestry woven with moments of joy, pain, triumph, and defeat. Embrace it all through full faith that your Creator is in control. He is an artist, painting a Masterpiece in your life with each experience contributing to the person you are becoming by His artistry. 

I can attest that this promise extends beyond the vigor of youth into the uncertainty of increasing age. You may worry about the future, about growing older, but let me assure you — the same hands that have carried you through youth will sustain you through the years. There is an enduring strength within you, a strength derived from the One who has fashioned you with deliberate purpose. 

Don't be afraid to dream, to pursue the passions that ignite your soul. The Creator gives you those desires as He guides your path, and He will sustain you as you walk His way. Trust Him with the unfolding of your story, but know you are not just a passive observer -- you are an active participant in the narrative of your life for the glory of the Artist. 

In moments of challenge and adversity, remember that you are not left to fend for yourself. The hands that guide you will also rescue you. You may face storms, but they will not overcome you. Hold on to hope, for the One who made you is the same One who rescues, redeems, and restores. 

Dear younger self, as you stand on the threshold of your journey, embrace the promise embedded in these ancient words. Life will have its share of ups and downs, but through it all, you are upheld, carried, sustained, and rescued by the love of a Father that never falters. 

With love and gray hairs, 

The Older Me