With only 35 days to go until Brexit date, the Prime Minister continues to ask the British people to trust her and her plan.

Meanwhile, the list of manufacturers that are stockpiling parts or products in view of a possible ‘no deal’ keeps getting longer: among them Honda (car parts), WH Smith (notebooks and pens), and Unilever (Magnum ice cream). Meanwhile, Twitter users can check out what to fill their shelves with in case of a no deal Brexit (#whatsinyourstockpile).

With Edelman’s Trust Barometer showing that the UK public’s trust in the government is stuck at below 40%, all this nervousness is understandable. By the time the clocks go forward next month we will have more of an idea if it is also justified.

Psychologists have observed how people respond to overwhelming and uncontrollable risk (such as major natural disasters). Although Brexit is a political earthquake not a natural one, there are similarities between what psychologists observe and the reactions to Brexit uncertainty: going into denial; choosing just to enjoy the present moment, with no thought about the future (‘eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’); looking for someone else to blame…

Some others, however, respond – either consciously or subconsciously – with the belief that some ‘higher power’ will step in and all will be well – the Deus ex machina of Greek tragedy – so no further action is necessary.

This should make followers of Christ think about our own response to the current levels of uncertainty and nervousness around us. Does our confidence in God’s promise to make all things new someday mean we can simply step away from uncertainty? Or do we step in?

The surprising answer is: both. Yes, we need to take time to step away from the hum of uncertainty that seems to permeate every news report, every conversation at the moment. But not to avoid or deny it. Instead, we need to create space where we can be reminded of God’s love for his world, and his sovereignty over its future. ‘Trust me’, he says, ‘I AM’.

But we also step in, following Christ who entered fully into the uncertainty of this fallen world. Learning how to act with passion and purpose out of a place of trust and peace is perhaps our greatest present discipleship challenge. Jesus modelled this in his uncertain times, and his Spirit is with us to help us live this way in ours.

Nick Tatchell
Nick is an HR Consultant with a background in Psychology