If you could know anything, what would you want to know?
We all have an insatiable desire to know something. It’s what drives new discoveries, new creations, and new ideas. We may want to know where we will be in five years, or when the pandemic will be over, or how to create light without a lightbulb or a candle. Yet that information escapes us until given proper permission. Want to know what happens in five years? Wait five years and see.
Scripture says that the Lord’s ways are above our ways, His thoughts above our thoughts, and His knowledge is above our knowledge. In The Saga of the Volsungs, one woman, Gudrun, touches on knowledge in a poignant way. Having just learned her future and that of her husband’s, she says, “The grief of knowing such things overwhelms me” (78). An overabundance of knowledge can hurt us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Overwhelming emotions can lead to physical pain, as I (along with anyone else that has struggled with depression) have experienced. Having “God knowledge” changes us into trusting ourselves and not Him, hurting our spiritual lives.
I have heard pastors speak about the walk of faith in such a way, often giving the story of Mary. Mary, mother of Jesus, gives the humble, simple response of “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38 ESV) upon receiving the clearly-written story of her future.I wonder if her response had changed, should she have known what was ahead—her son being mocked, disbelieved, tortured, and crucified before her very eyes.
The Lord reveals His will in His timing, not ours, often using this as a method of teaching us patience. He teaches us to lean into Him, instead of relying on our own strength.
Take, for example, a cardboard box. Imagine that this cardboard box represents your strength. Now imagine sitting on it for hours upon hours, days upon days, weeks upon weeks. What would happen? It would crumble, folding in on itself, and soon, you’d be on the floor. In the same way, leaning on our own strength leads to even more brokenness. Now, if you sat on a well-crafted chair for years upon years, would it crumble under you? Probably not. I know the analogy breaks down a bit, as do all human analogies, but the idea stands. Leaning into and relying on God’s strength is like sitting in that chair. It never breaks down; it always supports and carries you. God will always be there for you, holding and carrying you when you cannot lift yourself. In our weakness, He is our strength.
“God will always be there for you, holding and carrying you when you cannot lift yourself. In our weakness, He is our strength.” -Katelyn Vergakis
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Another example can be found within the book known as Thunder Dog, a story about the 9/11 attacks. The story tells of a blind man who worked in the World Trade Center, accompanied by his service dog, Roselle. He survived the attacks because of his trust in his guide. He now travels around the world speaking about 9/11 and the important relationships between guide dogs and the people they lead.
In the same way as the blind man and Roselle, when we can’t see our path, the Lord leads us where we should go and never leaves our side. 2 Corinthians 5:7 calls us to “Walk by faith and not by sight”, so that we learn through experience how to better trust our Lord.
If we knew everything to come, we would fight God all the more. We would say “I don’t need you! I know everything about myself and my future.” How can we walk the walk of faith if we are fighting the one who gives us our belief? How can we trust in our Saviour while attempting to trust ourselves and our limited, human strength?
Developing our trust in Christ is what pushes us to the other side. Like an athlete working day in and day out to achieve a single victory, we must build our trust for the greatest victory: Christ’s. It’s through Him that we can say “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship” (Louisa May Alcott). If you trust in the Lord and His perfect plan, then you will find that He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). All you have to do is take His hand and hold on for the ride.
-Katelyn Vergakis
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