33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. – Romans 11:33-36
Can we be certain?
Take one casual scroll through social media, and you are sure to find an abundance of opinions dressed as certainty. Among these, I am always surprised by those doing so while claiming a religion. While religion and philosophy surely give us a foundation on which to build upon, the good ones embrace the unknown with child-like wonder. Faith itself is the acceptance of our unknowing while still moving into the dark. At it’s core are humility and the quiet confidence in the mystery of life.
Scientists know this to be true. The best ones, study their entire lives while exhausting every avenue of knowledge. Yet, they are not fueled by what they already know as much as they are by what is yet to be known. Such is faith. The more data one gathers from the spiritual, the more questions should arise. And this is in no way a minimization of core beliefs. Nor is it an abandonment of the idea of Truth. The spiritual path is one of humble examining and questioning, while acknowledging our propensity for getting it wrong. In both we can have confidence: what we hold to be true and our vastly limiting uncertainty.
While the Church is a sacred and beautiful collection of misfits and compassion, we must be on our guard against the certain among us. Like any group with a shared thread, it is easy to revert into an echo chamber. If anywhere should be a safe zone for independent thought and befuddling questions, it should be the Church. If there is Truth to be found within it’s walls, then any question, doubt, or uncertainty should only make that Truth more apparent and treasured. But as many of us know, this is not the case. Sadly, many communities of faith can become too certain and therefore rigid and out of touch with the world at large. Maybe a deficit of knowledge is not insecurity like many fear, but a form of Godly wisdom.
Our spiritual journey should always be evolving, moving kinetically into the unknown. Faith is confidence in the great mystery of a “wholly other” Creator. Be not afraid of what you do not know. Be skeptical of those who are certain about much.
The mystery of God is speaking.
Matt simon blog 