The Importance of Uncertainty Tolerance
How do you deal with mystery and uncertainty?
Some of us love to figure things out. For example, Isaac Newton (possibly) sat under an apple tree, and when he saw an apple fall to the ground he said, "Why did that apple fall? There must be a reason for it." He encountered mystery and went about solving it.
Others of us don't feel the need to solve every mystery. We see the apple fall to the ground, think, "Cool. Free apple," and eat it without ever wondering why it fell instead of floated in midair.
That's fine for issues of falling apples, but what about issues of faith? For the most part, humans do not like being uncertain. We want to be certain about maters of faith, interpretations of Scripture, and God, because when we are certain about things, we can plan, prepare, and feel more in control. Uncertainty tends to cause us anxiety.
However, I would suggest that maturity in faith is measured in part by a high level of uncertainty tolerance. I know we sometimes think that the more mature follower of Jesus is the one who has the unshakeable certainty about God. Unshakeable faith in God (because we know his loving character) is good. Unshakeable certainty about God (because we have him all figured out) is not.
A robust faith embraces mystery.
This is not to say that followers of Jesus should be uncertain about everything. For example, we can be certain:
God is good, all the time
God deeply loves you and every person equally, all the time
Jesus is the full expression of who God is
In John 14, when Thomas is full of uncertainty about where Jesus is going and how they will follow him, Jesus reassures his followers with the beautiful reminder that "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). I like how The First Nations Version puts it (in the FNV, they use the First Nations cultural name for God, which is the Great Spirit):
"I am the Great Spirit's pathway, the truth about who he really is, and the life of beauty and harmony he offers to all. There is no other guide who can take you to the Father."
~ Jesus, in John 14:6
Jesus did not help Thomas overcome uncertainty by explaining some step-by-step formula of what to do next. Instead, he said, "Trust me. I'll get you where you need to go."
If we can be certain about the above three things, it allows us to tolerate uncertainty in other things. For example, if I know God is good and loves me, I do not need to be certain about (or argue about) the order of events when Jesus returns, or about the timeframe of creation, or about many other theological issues.
Those who have spiritual maturity have a strong faith, yet are more comfortable being humble and openhanded with many other elements of life with God. I can have thoughts and opinions, of course, and maybe even should have thoughts and opinions (because it means I've been studying these things for myself). However, I don't need to belligerently hold on to a theological point (that perhaps has several orthodox and valid interpretations) like my entire faith depends on it. If my faith depends on me being certain that God created the world in seven days, I have a weak and misguided faith.
PAUSE and REFLECT: How much certainty do you need in your understanding of God? Are you comfortable with mystery, or better said, with the Divine Mystery? God is known through Jesus Christ, but he is still also Mystery, and when he invites us to seek union with him through Jesus, he is inviting us to enter Mystery.
An anonymous 14th-century English author wrote a book about contemplative prayer called The Cloud of Unknowing. Its premise is the way to know God is to surrender our ego, be courageous enough to abandon certainty, and enter the realm of unknowing, where we might truly glimpse the nature of divine love.
What would it be like for you to enter the depths of God, knowing he is love yet also surrendering your certainty of how Divine Love must be and act? What if we could look at a bible verse or theological issue and say, "This is my best interpretation and application of that verse / theology, but I humbly allow myself to dwell in uncertainty."
We love to be certain. About everything. It helps us understand and control things. Yet God is often pulling us toward uncertainty. Just when we think we have him figured out and neatly boxed, he surprises us. When he does, we can either say, "What a delightful surprise and I'm thankful for a better picture of who God is." Or we can say, "I am certain of my box. And this action does not line up with my box, therefore it cannot be God."
Sadly, we'd miss the beauty of mystery.
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Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash