“‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!'”
Job 38:4, 5a-b
I discovered, as a teenager, if not younger, that my hunger for knowledge was insatiable. Though I struggled with comprehension, my need to devour content — and teach others to as well — has never abated. Though my dreams of becoming a teacher in the traditional sense have yet to come to fruition, the desire to educate myself and others seems to linger.
The downside to this is when I am not able to find the answer to the questions I have, I am left at a loss. I will overturn rocks and outsource my answers, until I find what I am looking for, sometimes unendingly. I cannot stand not having knowledge of something I consider to be important.
As a believer, this is a challenging stance to have. Remembering that only God is omniscient and I will always “know (only) in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9, 12b) while on earth can be an exasperating mindset to have.
Yet, this was the challenge introduced to me by my Christian therapist one day: to be okay with not having the answers to all my questions, and not go crazy over-analyzing and making assumptions, just to satisfy my desire to have everything make sense to me. Even as a creative, I still have tendencies toward being logical, and struggle with not knowing everything.
God’s response to Job near the end of the discourse is highly rhetorical, yet imparts an important truth. Job was wishing he had never been born, yet also had moments where he considered himself blameless before the Lord, and could not understand why God subjected him to so much suffering.
God’s reply basically put Job in his place, reminding him that He was not the one who laid the foundations of the universe. Though his concerns were valid, Job needed to hear from God that He was in charge, that Job was not going to get the answers from Him that He wanted. Yet, in the end, God still chose to bless him. His faith — not his analysis or worry over his situation — is what brought him to the end of his suffering, and into a place of profound blessing by the Lord.
In the end, God reminds us all, regardless of what we do or do not know about the intricacies of His plan for our lives, that we should “…be content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12 NIV) Though we can often find ourselves in want, may we remember and realize that sometimes, for our benefit, some things are better left unsaid, and undiscovered.
Prayer:
Lord, I am always wanting to know everything. Yet I know also that You have created mystery and the unknown for a reason. As a human being, I desire to know everything that You do, but I am aware this will never happen while on earth. Help me to be content to know only a portion of what You do, and teach me to be patient, persevering during times when I am lacking the answers to my questions. Though I can and should pray that You reveal things to me, I also pray that I would “increase in the knowledge of You” (Colossians 1:10), and grow in my ability to be content in all my circumstances.
Your will be done, Amen.
