Certainly Uncertain
Originally written March 2019
I’ve been having a lot of conversations with friends about life, decisions, path, will, future. It’s interesting to me that there is such a common response in these exchanges – that being the feeling of uncertainty.
This season in my life is the biggest spoonful of uncertainty that I’ve ever had to swallow. That statement is probably true for just about all twenty-somethings. Before, we had to decide between things like elective courses and which sport to play. Then we entered into our second four-year cycle – college – and had to choose where we wanted to spend those four years. Sure, there were new friends and a transition away from home, but the routine was familiar.
When those four years come to a close, the real questions start surfacing. What do I want to do with my life? What’s worth pursuing? Who are my people? To its core, we’re all asking what’s worth spending my time on? Practice asking that question often.
We live in a world today with more options and “paths” to choose from than any other generation before us. Sounds great, but do endless options make that decision, of what to do with my life, any easier? It doesn’t always feel that way.
Uncertainty is hard. It’s uncomfortable. Unnerving. Exciting. I remember playing my last baseball game after 17 years and I literally felt excitement and anticipation because for the first time in my entire life I was going to get to make a decision completely free from sports. No, I had no idea those decisions would eventually take me around to the world and back again, but they did.
The way I see it, uncertainty can be used as a catapult or a chain and it all depends on perspective. When we are constantly looking at our future, unsure of what’s to come, and we allow worry to creep in and whisper in our ear – it’s here, uncertainty becomes a prison. But on the flip side, when uncertainty can be harnessed into expectant anticipation, it can be used to launch and charge us into the future. We all experience both sides of this coin in various moments throughout our life, but know that there are two. And that there is good to be taken amidst uncertain situations.
Finding a certainty amidst it all is helpful. Hebrews 11 gives us a hint, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see.” Faith is the cornerstone to experiencing certainty on this earth. I have faith that Jesus is who He says He is – amidst intense uncertainty, that grounds me and centers me to focus on the certainty of God.
Take a house for example. The Foundation needs to be firm, solid, certain before the framework, drywall, flooring, and lighting can all be created. Once the foundation is poured and grounded, there’s quite a bit of uncertainty still afoot. What color should the walls be? What appliances do we want? How about the entertainment system? Do we want a guest room? Maybe it should be a game room?
The point is this. If the foundation of that house is not done correctly, all of those questions ultimately become irrelevant because there won’t be a house to create to answer any of those questions. In the same way, if we are not grounded well in our faith, we’re going to be stacking our questions on top of deeper questions. When life hits us, and it will, that house is going to have a hard time standing and being what it was created to be.
I’m practicing going back to my roots and solidifying my foundation. So that way, as I begin tackling big, uncertain questions and seasons in life, I'll be building my house on a solid foundation that can hold my questions and audibles. I’ve decided to go back to certainty when faced with intense uncertainty. I'd encourage you to ask the hard questions. Wrestle with the deep stuff. Take it to the Lord – even if you don't know Him, try it out. He's listening. Find out what you believe. Pour your foundation sturdy. Because there is one thing I can tell you . . . there will certainly be uncertainty.
