CERTAINTY

One of the things that I have come to notice in my life recently, is that I have less and less certainty about things I thought I had long ago settled.  I had settled in my mind that mint chocolate chip ice cream was the best, but now I find that I am drawn to more fruit flavors; I was certain that I could sleep anywhere but I now find that sleep is harder than I thought; I had a certainty that I understood how life works and now I have to admit I have no idea; I had a certainty how kids should be raised but now I have kids of my own.  I’m telling you my certainty is being messed with.

I have also come to realize that much of what I was certain about in my faith has begun to unravel.  Don’t get me wrong, I am certain of God’s grace in Jesus, I am certain of my place in heaven, and I am certain that the Bible is true.  What I have less certainty with is how the truth of God and the grace of Jesus are to be lived out in my life.  I find myself more and more uncertain that I understand what God is up to in my daily life and in the lives of people around me.  But I have also come to see that my need to be certain of these things, my need to know the answers to the questions and the purpose to every event in my life may just be sinful.  Maybe my certainty has become an idol that allows me to feel in control and less dependent on God for my every breath.

In the Old Testament book of Proverbs God has this to say, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  Proverbs 3:5

Is that God’s way of saying give up your certainty for mine?  I am certain of so little these days, but in this I have complete certainty.  God is good and He loves me.  I am certain of those things because Jesus died and rose for me and maybe that is enough certainty for me.

- Pastor Kevin