The Liberation of Knowing Nothing
Source: pinwords.com via James on Pinterest
Last weekend I blogged about how we need to feel the absence of God in order to have intimacy with God. It’s a major part of my journey right now – and today I want to take this discussion further.
I’ve been going through a season of doubt in my faith. Asking questions which have taken me to the very heart of my faith. But in many ways I felt closer to God then than I have done when things were good. When faith was certain.
It’s strange, but in the moment of doubt and despair I’ve actually felt an intimacy with God I don’t feel in the good times.
I have always suspected doubt is good for our relationship with God. Now, I’m even more certain.
To have an intimate relationship with the divine, we need doubt. We can’t live without it.
Most people like certainty. They want a way of seeing the world they have a semblance of control over. Where all things are clearly defined. Where every question has an answer. We’re a world in love with certainty.
And we all know, Christians love their certainty.
We like scriptures and teachings which clearly define for us how we’re meant to live and provide the answers for all the questions. It reassures us, it gives us confidence in God.
But it’s a limited confidence. And not real faith.
Now I’m not saying certainty is bad in specific contexts. And I appreciate the irony of being certain about doubt.
But I cannot follow a God who is limited by words on a page. A God for whom the final say lies in the written word. A God without mystery, who leaves us no room to question, doubt, or ask why.
Real faith means accepting the truth of God without any answers. It means seeing scripture not as the end of the discussion, but the beginning. It’s about accepting what we already know but are afraid to ever admit.
God is out of our control.
He’s way beyond the understanding and comprehension of our minds, emotions, souls, spirits or imaginations. We will never be able to fully grasp who He is.
And all the knowledge we will ever have about God is nothing compared to the truth
But this isn’t as terrifying as it sounds.
In fact, it’s liberating. (you can tweet that here)
If God is out of our control, then we are free to explore. We can go deeper, go on adventures into the mystery of who He is. We can dive into the deep well of faith knowing they have limitless depths.
Above all, we are free to doubt.
Free to ask why. Liberated to ask the questions we think we’re not “allowed to”, but which might actually take us deeper.
Scripture takes on new meaning too. It becomes the beginning of a journey into relationship with the divine..not an ending. And our relationship with God will be unique because we are all unique.
And the only payoff is accepting God is a mystery.
I love God more when He is a mystery. I love I don’t know everything about God. I think it’s awesome I can’t control Him or have all the answers. I love the thought of going on crazy adventures with God, questioning, doubting, learning and going deeper with Him.
I don’t know the answers. All I hold on to is God is real, true and loves me. And trusting this allows me to go places where certainty can never take me.
And it frees me to have more intimacy with my maker.
So please, today, I invite you to join me in the liberation of knowing nothing.
Are you with me?
the liberation of knowing nothing. book title? brilliant post, mate. i’m always gobsmacked by people who claim to know all the answers just because they follow god. the one answer we know for certain: he loves us. the mystery of everything else is the adventure.
Tim – sounds like a book title doesn’t it? Maybe once I’ve gone further into this journey (and there is a lot more where this came from, and I think there is further to go on this particular journey) I could write an e-book on it. Good idea!
On the other point, yes, it always astounds me how people think they have all the answers when actually admitting we don’t is the key to true freedom.
Thanks for you comment & support as ever Tim – really appreciate it.
you’re welcome. thanks for your words. cheers, mate!
No problem! 🙂
I totally agree with you James! A long time ago I realized that to NOT question God meant I wasn’t being real..and He knows me intimately…He knows what I’m thinking, so why not ask. That doesn’t mean He has to answer. God is never obligated to us {just read Job to see that}, but I believe He does want us to be honest in all of our conversations with Him. God can totally handle ANY questions, concerns and fears we have! Great post that should generate lots of discussion!
Thanks Caryn – glad you agree with me. Actually reading Job right now, coincidentally, and totally get your point. Hope the post does generate some discussion, think lots of people could benefit from this kind of discussion.
Thanks for your comment, really appreciate it! 🙂
Hmmm. You write you cannot follow a God who is limited by the words on a page. How then, are we to know Him, except by the words on a page? If you mean, is he more than what he reveals? No doubt. However, he knows that’s all we can handle. God says that His son incarnate is the Word. Jesus is the Word. To know Christ is to know God. My apologies is I’m not understanding you correctly.
Shelley, thanks for your comment and sorry if I’ve not explained myself fully. You see, for me the Bible is not the end. It’s the beginning. I think I mention towards the end of the post scripture is a jumping off point for me in my relationship with God. We so often see scripture as the end of a conversation when it should be a beginning.
We can know God not just in scripture, but in creation itself, in knowledge, in all sorts of books, in a beautiful moment with a loved one. God can be known in all things if we are looking for Him. Scripture is important for sure – but it’s a beginning, not an end. Hope that explains things a bit better.
Thanks for your comment, really appreciate it.
I apppreciate Shellly’s comments and your clarification, James. I understand your perspective that there is freedom in dropping our facade that we know everything, but I would also say that as believers we can have a measure of confidence in knowing some things about God, chiefly what He reveals to us about Himself in scripture (and yes, creation, our own personal journey with HIm and anyway He chooses to reveal Himself through relationships or moments). He is a mystery and that is so awesome and makes Him God and out of our control as you so eloquently said. But like Shelly said, He does provide some knowledge of Himself so that we can be in relationship with Him. Scripture also informs us about ourselves; our human condition, the state of our heart, our desires, hopes, fears. For me Scripture is more than just the beginning or the end: it is the roadmap for life, it is the filter through which everything must pass. It is also eternal. Love the discussion here! Thanks for letting me share.
Hey, no problem – love you sharing and love how this is becoming a discussion, it’s awesome to see.
Interesting points about scripture. I see it like a rock face which you stand on, before jumping into deep water, and you have no idea how deep it is. But you need the rock to jump in – and you have to jump to know how deep the rock goes and have no idea what the depths are like, how they will be or how far they go – and if you get lost you can always go back to the rock.. It is like this with God. Scripture is important, but it’s never the whole story. Faith without doubt isn’t faith – by definition. Faith means you are almost compelled to doubt, because it involves trust. Certainty means it’s no longer faith.
Great discussion here, and great to see so many contributing – would love to hear more of your thoughts!
James, I have been on a similar journey over the past year or so. I have learned faith and doubt co-exist, despite what many say. Our God is not so small that our questioning of Him is stifling in any way. Good words, man
Thanks for your comment Chris and being so honest about your journey – it’s good to know I’m not alone. Thanks Chris.
I’m on a similar journey, James, and have been for some time. My conclusions are very similar to yours. My doubts and wrestling have drawn me closer to God, and there is indeed great liberation in admitting that I don’t know! I have found that faith and doubt are now so woven together for me that I can’t separate them (and I am finding that to be a good thing!). Thanks for sharing your journey!
Hey Cindy, thanks for your comment. Thanks also for being so honest and sharing your journey, I’m always blown away by just how many people have either been on this journey or still are. Agree totally how faith and doubt are woven together. Thanks for your comment!
Yes and yes! It wasn’t until I was in the pit of despair- that I was able to be honest and start to build “my” faith – one step at a time. Not my childhood faith, not what “Christians” told me I should believe in trite easy answers- but the Jacob grabbing hold of God and wrestling Him saying, “I will not let you go until you touch me” faith! So scary and yet- as you said liberating- to allow that I will never come to know and understand God in His fullness- but I can journey forward, confident in His love- because of Jesus. Great article!
Thanks Cindy – great to hear you’ve had the same experience too. I honestly think doubt is often when we are more honest with ourselves, which allows God to enter in and interact more deeply with us. Thanks for your comment, really appreciate it!
I stand with you James…I know nothing…the older I get the more this becomes apparent…and that’s okay. Great reminder.
Thanks Eileen, I completely agree – the more time passes the less I realise I know. Thanks for the comment.
I love this! Over the past year, I’ve discovered God between the black and white…in the gray. I’ve seen Him work in ways most Christians would deny He could or would work. He’s blown away all the theology I’ve studied.
Thanks for the comment Rebekah, and the encouragement – really appreciate it. Thanks for sharing a bit of your journey too – it’s amazing to see just how many others have been on this journey too. Thanks again.
he chuckles at our theologies.
Absolutely Tim! 🙂
I am always surprised when I read that people feel it is wrong to question God. Didn’t Jesus question God as he prayed in the garden? How do you have relationship with someone you can’t question? I was blessed with a loving earthly father so it easily translates to me that my heavenly Father loves me too. Isn’t it thrilling to know God has more surprises and adventures for us than we can ever imagine?
Absolutely Onisha, totally agree with you in every sense. Great comment – thanks for commenting, really appreciate it!
An excellent and challenging post, James. In my early walk of faith I used to assume that doubt was the opposite of faith, but now I believe that fear is. Having room for doubts makes our faith real, healthy, live and active. Instead of blindly swallowing whatever we are told (or read) we can be stretched through the questioning to seek the heart of the matter – which is God’s Father heart of Love. He is more than big enough to handle our uncertainties and provide certainty where we need it most.
For in the quest we discover how huge God is and how not all of our questions have answers. Living with Mystery beyond our comprehension is what my faith means for me as I also rest secure in what I do know from my relationship with Him. No amount of head knowledge can compensate for heart knowledge of God.
PS: I’m with Tim on the book idea and title. Go for it! 🙂
Thanks Joy, wise and encouraging words as ever. I agree fear is more a problem than doubt, because fear can be like a straightjacket – whereas questioning and doubt can actually be liberating. Love your comment and your encouragement, thank you so much.
And I will think about the book title…not the first to suggest it. Might be something here.
my first time here. so nice to meet you.
i really get this whole mystery bit. it is a frightening concept to many, i think, but part of the problem is just what you’ve said so well: we want a G/god we can control.
and that He will never be.
thank you for a very cohesive and liberating post. so good to let this truth permeate.
Nice to meet you too Kelli, and thank you so much for commenting. Great that you appreciate & love the whole mystery bit – it’s actually really exciting to me that we can’t control.
Thanks for your comment & your kind words, I really appreciate it. Look forward to seeing you more on the blog!
I appreciate the points you bring up, James. Yes, doubt is never the problem. David doubted when he sinned with Bathsheba, Peter doubted when he denied Christ, Thomas doubted, Sarah doubted when she laughed, Abraham doubted when he slept with Hagar to get a son.. Whenever we don’t trust God there is some level of doubt in play. The “problem” would be lack of belief. We all doubt, but through doubt do we continue to believe? David doubted, but he was still a man after God’s own heart. After his stumbing, Peter continued to believe in Jesus and God used him mightly. It’s okay to doubt, but let’s continue forward in our relationship with God and believing that He is and a rewarder of those who seek Him. He can use our doubt for our maturity; we have to grapple with our limitations and questions and ultimately realize only God knows the end from the beginning. My last thot: I love your header font: Bleeding Cowboys! yes, I am a font geek!!!
Thanks for commenting – you raise some good points and give some great examples. I love that Paul actually wrote twice he knew nothing in the Bible – so it’s not like it’s a bad thing at all. Thanks for thoughts on the header font – and yes, it is Bleeding Cowboys! 🙂
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