The Uncertainty Principle Series

I think all of us need to come to the point where we acknowledge and accept the fact that God is God and we’re not. There are questions I don’t have the answer to. There are experiences I can’t explain. But I’ve learned to embrace the uncertainty.

Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

That phrase—“even though he did not know where he was going”—may be one of the most encouraging phrases in Scripture. If Abraham was driving in thick fog, then maybe I’m normal. I’m a lot like Abraham. I have plans and goals and dreams, but sometimes I have no idea where God is taking me!

Fox Chase

One of my favorite exchanges in Scripture is in Matthew 9. A teacher of the law says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And I love Jesus response: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Here is my translation: when you follow Christ you never know where you’re going to end up. Anything can happen. All bets are off! That is scary, but it is also exciting. Jesus was promising the element of surprise and He delivers on His promises! Following Christ is the ultimate adventure!

I’m not convinced that following Christ reduces uncertainty. I think it reduces spiritual uncertainty. I think we can have what Philippians 4 calls “a peace that passes understanding.” I think we can know that we know that we are in right relationship with God and going to spend eternity with him. But following Christ may actually increase uncertainty in other areas of our lives. Oswald Chambers said it best. “To be certain of God is to be uncertain in all our ways, you never know what a day may bring.”

The Banana Peel

Let me borrow a metaphor from Robert Fulghum’s book From Beginning to End. When Fulghum does a wedding he gives the bride and groom a speech the last time they meet together. They’ve planned the wedding to the best of their ability, right down to the minute detail. They want everything to be perfect, but Fulghum reminds them of this simple truth. He says, “Weddings are a lot like any other occasion in life. Anything can happen. The great banana peel of existence is always on the floor somewhere.”

I love that image. Fulghum says, “Not only that, anything might go right! Sometimes the unexpected is an unforgettable moment that transforms a standard wedding into a memorable experience. The sweetest memories are seldom the result of planning.”

That totally bears witness with my experience. I’ve done a lot of weddings and my favorite moments are the unplanned moments. I love it when a bride or groom experiences what I’d call unrehearsed emotion. They are so overcome with the enormity of the moment that they can barely get through their vows! I love flower girls and ring bearers! The best age is right around three or four years-old. No amount of rehearsing can remove the element of uncertainty! And please forgive me for this, but I love it when someone faints in a wedding! I don’t want anybody to get injured, but that adds so much to a ceremony!