I love this title from a piece in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. In a world that struggles to be precise, to know ahead of time what might happen next, or to simply feel comfortable in the present moment, we might want to consider the idea of living in gracious uncertainty. We imagine if we’re not sure about an outcome, or we don’t know what to expect, that it probably means something negative will happen. Chambers says that notion is exactly the opposite of what is true. If we are willing to surrender our egos, our personal brilliance, and our need-to-know things, and simply let God be God, we can live happily in gracious uncertainty. So, how can we let go of our own ideas and be certain God knows best?
Maybe you remember an old TV show called Father Knows Best. Robert Young played the father of a growing family, with Jane Wyatt by his side. Of course, the family rarely struggled with issues families face today, but they were a family first and that dictated their actions. It was a world where the parents would always strive to get to the bottom of any problem and of course, Jim Anderson, as the father, always had the answer. So, what if we could imagine even for a while that our Father, our Heavenly Father, who knew each of us before we were even born, knows the best actions for our lives? What if we could simply say, Father Knows Best?
Oswald Chambers reminds us that the spiritual life is the life of a child, and a child of God may not be certain about things that happen in the world, but he is certain about God. In fact, Chambers goes on to say beliefs are different than believing God. Beliefs are guided by learning and experience. Believing God is a matter of faith and trust. A right relationship with God, one where we accept His love and His decisions for us on faith, are ones that give life opportunities to be more spontaneous, more joyful, and more expectant. God is the parent who knows everything about us, loves us anyway, and wants only our good. When we live in gracious uncertainty it means we might not know how or when He will show up on our behalf, but we know He will show up.
Do you know what to expect tomorrow? You don’t know, but you don’t have to, because like a child who believes he is well protected and cared for by his earthly father, your Heavenly Father knows exactly what will happen tomorrow. You can count on Him, trust Him to be there for you, and simply believe your Father knows best!
As Chambers says, “Certainty is the mark of a commonsense life; gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.”