Trusting in the Unseen
John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Becase you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Sitting on my bookshelf is a book published several years ago called The Myth of Certainty. The title alone catches my eye and speaks to me with a ring of truth. How I long for a world of black and white, good and bad, yes and no; a world of clear-cut distinctions and effortless decisions because the good and bad can be easily identified. No blurring rationalizations. No complicating considerations.
But clear-cut distinctions and effortless choices aren't true to my experience in life. Between black and white are shades of gray. Between good and bad are confusing questions. Between yes and no is a strong maybe.
The fact of the matter is, no matter how black and white and absolute some defenders of the faith portray the gospel, I simply can't buy that line. My experience and the experience of people of faith throughout the centuries, is one of a God who meets us in the questions, who honors our seeking, and who created us to be intelligent beings. When it comes to faith, if we're looking for proof and certainty, we won't find it.
Living at the heart of faith is living with uncertainty, trusting in the unseen. Somewhere along the way, we have to leap the chasm between that which we know absolutely and that which calls us from within. Yet even in our uncertainty, we walk in the presence of the holy.
God is far more interested in our honesty than our piety. We have only to offer him a willing heart and truthful spirit and he'll take it from there, meeting us in the chasm as we make the leap.
Everyday I live life with uncertainty. Will I be able to do everything that I planned for the day? Will I be able to deliver everything with excellence? Will I still have a job at the end of the day? Will I go home happy? Everyday is full of questions. But in this life of uncertainty, I find comfort from a very certain God. Everyday, as I ask my questions, as I experience confusion and fear from uncertainty, I remember the promises given to me by God through His son Jesus Christ.
* "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong."
Acts 3:16
* "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5
* "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
* "...Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be open." Luke 11:9-10
These are just some of verses containing God's promises and assurances to us. And God doesn't just assure us that He is always with us, He encourages us to seek him, and to ask for what we desire. Will I continue to live life in uncertainty? Most likely. After all, certainty is present only if we are definite on how things will go and what will happen. Will I continue to live life in confusion and fear? By God's grace, No, because God is with me everyday.:)
Trusting in the Unseen
(by: Debra Klingsporn)
(by: Debra Klingsporn)
Sitting on my bookshelf is a book published several years ago called The Myth of Certainty. The title alone catches my eye and speaks to me with a ring of truth. How I long for a world of black and white, good and bad, yes and no; a world of clear-cut distinctions and effortless decisions because the good and bad can be easily identified. No blurring rationalizations. No complicating considerations.
But clear-cut distinctions and effortless choices aren't true to my experience in life. Between black and white are shades of gray. Between good and bad are confusing questions. Between yes and no is a strong maybe.
The fact of the matter is, no matter how black and white and absolute some defenders of the faith portray the gospel, I simply can't buy that line. My experience and the experience of people of faith throughout the centuries, is one of a God who meets us in the questions, who honors our seeking, and who created us to be intelligent beings. When it comes to faith, if we're looking for proof and certainty, we won't find it.
Living at the heart of faith is living with uncertainty, trusting in the unseen. Somewhere along the way, we have to leap the chasm between that which we know absolutely and that which calls us from within. Yet even in our uncertainty, we walk in the presence of the holy.
God is far more interested in our honesty than our piety. We have only to offer him a willing heart and truthful spirit and he'll take it from there, meeting us in the chasm as we make the leap.
Everyday I live life with uncertainty. Will I be able to do everything that I planned for the day? Will I be able to deliver everything with excellence? Will I still have a job at the end of the day? Will I go home happy? Everyday is full of questions. But in this life of uncertainty, I find comfort from a very certain God. Everyday, as I ask my questions, as I experience confusion and fear from uncertainty, I remember the promises given to me by God through His son Jesus Christ.
* "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong."
Acts 3:16
* "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5
* "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
* "...Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be open." Luke 11:9-10
These are just some of verses containing God's promises and assurances to us. And God doesn't just assure us that He is always with us, He encourages us to seek him, and to ask for what we desire. Will I continue to live life in uncertainty? Most likely. After all, certainty is present only if we are definite on how things will go and what will happen. Will I continue to live life in confusion and fear? By God's grace, No, because God is with me everyday.:)
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