Gracious Uncertainty

Oswald Chambers devotional

from My Utmost For His Highest (April 29th)

Gracious Uncertainty

"...it has not yet been revealed what we shall be..." (1 John 3:2)

Our natural inclination is to be so precise--trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next--that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, "Well, what if I were in that circumstance?" We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.

Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life--gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God--it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, "...unless you...become as little children..." (Matthew 18:3). The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, "...believe also in Me" (John 14:1), not, "Believe certain things about Me." Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in--but you can be certain that He will come.
Remain faithful to Him.

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Oh! What truth! What wisdom! What divine inspiration from God!

Every so often, I do that thing that you're not supposed to do.

I say, "God, teach me/give me something for today wherever I end up." Then I flip open my Bible and start reading for God's divine message.

We're typically not encouraged to do this, because it's almost a way of testing God/His divine Word.
When we don't 'find' or 'get' something that day, it's easy to dismiss God's power of divinely teaching through his Word and divinely orchestrating everything in our day.

However, today I wanted to try it. Not to test God, but to see what might happen.
Oh! The possibilities!

And God gave me this devotional. Yes, he knew I might read it years from now with different needs and areas for learning, but I believe he planned for me to read it this very day as well.

There are a lot of things up in the air for me right now. A LOT of uncertainty.

And on a good day, I am believe God's Word, remember His truth, abide in His promises.
But those are quickly followed by doubt, mistrust, fear, worry, and panic -sometimes so overwhelming that I forget God and His promises. All truth flees my mind.

I have been learning that when this happens, at the root, I'm truly just trying to control my life and figure it all out. When I do so, I become fearful, stuck in doubt, and rooted in worry.....basically, miserable.

But, Oh!
After reading Chambers' words,
being reminded of God's great love for me (John 3:16),
and remembering His promises of never leaving/forsaking me (Deut. 31:6),
and remembering that He keeps all of His promises (Ps. 145:13),
and remembering that God gives me what I need at the proper time & satisfies every desire (Ps. 145:15, 16, 19)
There is such freedom in Christ.
In knowing God and His truth.
In abiding in His image, identity, and love for me"...gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God."

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I choose that today.
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I choose to live in gracious uncertainty and breathless expectation.