I don't have to know...

I was listening to a show on NPR the other day -- the guy being interviewed spent a few minutes talking about a tragedy in his life. He commented on the people who would innocently ask him inappropriate questions regarding the incident. They were curious and interested in knowing details that they had no right to know. We have all done it. We are a curious people.A few weeks ago, I was stressing over  a text message I received. I did not know what should happen next. I did not know how to help the person who texted me. I did not know how to fix the problem. At that moment, I thought I heard the Spirit (who oddly sounded like my friend Scott Crawford ) say to me, "aren't you glad you don't have to know?"I don't have to know...So much of my stress is due to not having the answers. If I do not have the answers, will God use me and will people like me? One of the great things about being a human being (and not God) is that I do not have to have all of the answers. This is not an excuse, this is a reality. And the sooner I embrace that reality, the better my life will be.It is possible to remain faithful in all things and not have all of the answers. It is more than okay to embrace mystery and place all trust in God's ability to work things out for good and use me in the process. Knowing that I do not have to know frees me from trying to manipulate situations and control the flows of information. I can just be...the listener, the pastor, the teacher, the servant and the friend.As Paul said, let us "...hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience." (1 Timothy 3:9)