THE JOY OF UNCERTAINTY

THE JOY OF UNCERTAINTY

.

I enjoy a lively exchange of opinions as much as the next guy.  It often stretches us beyond our certainties.  There is so much about existence that is still undiscovered.  However that doesn’t restrain our confidence that our conclusions about reality are anything other than flawlessly accurate, especially when it comes to matters of faith.  The world is witnessing a period of unquestioned certainty so rigged that people are killing and dying for their conclusions about truth.  The tragedy of certainty is that no matter how perceptive we think we are, our conclusions are or knowledge remains partial.  That is way uncertain applies as much to religious conclusions as any belief systems.   “A conclusion,” in the words of Dan Chaon, “is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.”  Perhaps even more to the point is a statement directed at Christians from the Apostle Paul:

.

“The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.”                       1 Corinthians 8:2

.

Therefore wrong information itself is not the only breeding ground for wrong conclusions.  Even correct information chokes off appropriate conclusions if truth is planted in unyielding certainty.  Uncertainty is the malleable soil that yields life, while rigged certainty is such hard ground it cannot support life.  Oswald Chambers put it this way, “When we become advocates of a creed, something dies: we do not believe God, we only believe our belief about god.”  He goes on to say, “If we are only certain in our beliefs, we get dignified and severe and have the ban of finality about our views: but when we are rightly related to God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.”

.

Uncertainty is not unbelief.  In fact uncertainty about tomorrow is a virtue of the faithful.  Belief in Jesus Christ requires that we abandon certainty as we face an uncertain future.  (Matt6:25-34 +10:19, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11 + 22-26)  We remain certain of Him even though uncertain of the days ahead.

.

 The point is if our certainty overrides all other considerations we nullify the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Cutting off His voice automatically stunts the Christian growth in grace and peace by restricting his knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Pet. 1:2)  Let us not be among those who rigidly cling to certainty but rather let us live so confident in God through Christ that we rejoice in the reality of our uncertain. 

.

The Bible’s reliability is certain and it says:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him.”  2 Peter 1:3a  NIV

.

In closing I add my prayer to Paul’s as he pin points the agent of that power in you:

“May the god of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”   Romans 15:13