On Not Knowing

“This article, as is true of the previous article, cannot be comprehended by reason or understanding, but must be grasped alone by faith.” -Epitome IX.2

How comfortable are we saying that we don’t know? It’s never a satisfying answer when we receive it, and when we say it, there’s a vulnerability of admitting that we’re not all-knowing, that there are things we haven’t thought deeply about or know enough about to have an educated opinion. It’s humbling.

The main players in the Protestant Reformation 500 years ago argued about anything and everything when it came to church, God, and faith. But there were some things that, although they argued about them, they had to finally admit that it’s a mystery, that we’ll probably never know, and faith takes over when we reach the edge of what we can know.

That doesn’t mean we have to take everything on faith, however. There are things we can know and experience and trust– about God, ourselves, and the world in which we live. 

What might it look and feel like to become more comfortable with ambiguity, with not knowing for sure and trusting that, even if we haven’t got it all figured out, God does?

When in your life have you had to let go of fully understanding and trust? What did it feel like?

May the Holy Spirit continue to open us up to trust God and lean on faith when we encounter things we cannot understand. May we have the humility and grace to admit when we don’t know, open to hearing and learning more. Amen.