The 4-1-1
What does agnosiophobia mean? No, I didn’t just type some random letters. This is a real word. Don’t know the meaning? If you haven’t already googled it, I will tell you in just a moment. Either way, you may be wanting to know what such a word with a weird spelling would mean. Well, it is a fear of not knowing what will happen or is currently happening, it is an anxiety disorder. Now you know.
We are in a generation of knowing and making it as easy as picking up your phone, typing in a few words and boom you have yourself instant knowledge. Immediate gratification to whatever you may want to know. We sit watching game shows like Jeopardy because its a trivia game, we want to see if we also know. We read headlines and updates on other peoples lives because we don’t want to be in the outer circle of not knowing. Needless to say we like knowledge. It all began at the beginning of our creation, Eve was the first to show this. Here is Satan talking to Eve about her wanting to gain the knowledge of God.
“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5
Eve ate of the fruit because she wanted the knowledge of what she believed God was holding out on giving her. She didn’t trust his goodness.
Let’s jump ahead to Abraham and Sarah. These two were highly expectant on God’s promise of a child. Although it often seemed that it was never going to happen. When God first told them that they were going to have a son, He never told them when the baby was coming. They didn’t know.
“‘And I will bless her and give you a son from her!‘” Genesis 17:16
If you are not familiar with this story, Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100 years old at the time this promise was made. They waited and waited, not knowing when a baby was going to come. They had to be patient and content in not knowing. Until God did return and told them when they were going to have the baby.
They, as many others in the bible, had to trust in God’s plan and timing. God didn’t just forget to tell them. He had His reasons for it. Not knowing was allowing them to grow in faith that God was going to keep his promises. Just like any good parent would.
A Loving Dad
If you know my dad, then you know that he is a detective. He has been for over 20 years. As you can imagine, he has seen his fair share of the bad in this world. There have been times throughout our childhood that we got glimpses of the bad that he saw out there. Like any loving parent, my dad would set us down and told us, in limited details, about what happened that day. A girl got into a strangers car, then found in the woods. There was a teenager who was hurt and was found too late. because they didn’t hangout with the right people. Don’t accept rides from people you don’t know and be careful who your friends are, were a few of the lessons we learned from the all too sad but true stories dad told. He told us what we needed to know for our protection and our good. He also held plenty from us because it would just leave us with nightmares. Not all information is good to know and my loving dad knew that. We didn’t choose what he shared, we didn’t ask further questions often. But we locked the doors at night and we were careful. I bet my dad wishes that it was a better world and that his kids would not have to worry about the terrible monsters that lurk. If he pretend that it was, he would not be a loving dad but one that withholds from our good. What he shared was important for us to get a realistic picture of the world and it has kept us safe.
The Good Good Father
Now, God is not like my dad. But they both do love well. God created a perfect world for his children. The type of world my dad would want for us. We just came after the fall. God made a world where there was no pain, no worry of other people, criminals, murderers. He also created the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Though the world was perfect, God knew it wasn’t always going to be that way. God didn’t tell Eve and Adam that they can’t eat of the tree because he was withholding good from them. It was because they would know loss, evil, terrible things that the world would soon have walking on it. No loving or Good Good Father would want that for his kids. Instead God, wanted them to focus on the relationship that stood before them. God wanted them to not worry about what they did not know and more on what they could know, Himself. He wanted them not to know the death that comes from separation from Him.
It was by God’s grace that they were not able to know everything. We are like Adam and Eve. We like knowledge. We want to know who we will marry, when we will have kids, what the school year will bring, what to do about schooling the kids, and the list goes on. Most of these, you can’t just google on your phone. You have to trust God that what he has for you is good and in his perfect timing it will be revealed to you.
“Then he asked them, “’But who do you say I am?’”
16 Simon Peter answered, “’You are the Messiah,[d] the Son of the living God.’”
17 Jesus replied, “’You are blessed, Simon son of John,[e] because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),[f] and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell[g] will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid[h] on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit[i] on earth will be permitted in heaven.’”
20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.” Matthew 16:15-20
Now if you ever read this for the first time and you’re like me, you may be asking: “Why on earth would Jesus not want the disciples to tell other people about the greatest news in the World?” Although, Jesus being the Messiah that they have been waiting for is the best news, it wasn’t the best time to share that with everyone.
God doesn’t withhold the knowledge of the name of your spouse or when you will meet each other or when you will have kids because the information you seek is bad, it’s not bad. He’s waiting to reveal this to you in His Sovereign timing for your most abundant good. He’s the Good Good Father that way.
Be still and Know
It’s okay to want to know. Knowledge is truly a blessing to pursue. We were made to know.
The reason I was lead to write this post, was because Josiah and I (many others as well) are in a season of many unknowns. I really don’t like not knowing. It makes me have to stop and who likes that? These past couple of weeks have been filled with many questions, prayers, and concerns about what we don’t know. From what school will look like, from health concerns, to COVID test results. It has been crazy. God knew this about me, He said “Amber, I know you want to know. But know me.”
“Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10
Be still? Say what now? But He meant what He said. Be still. Stop trying to pursue answers that haven’t been revealed to you yet. Be still. Stop trying to move forward to the next step. God wanted me to not focus on finding the answers to questions I didn’t know but to deepen my knowledge of Who I already did. When God says, know that I am God, He is speaking of His Character.
Be still and know that I am trustworthy. Be still and know that I know you. Be still and know that I am here. Be still and know that I know your tomorrow. Be still and know that I’ll make all things new. Be still and know me.
Like I said, it’s okay to want to know. However, it’s a fine line to decide what is good to know for what is truly good for you and placing your hope in what you know. Once you cross that line and your hope is in knowing what’s next in your life, then it has become an idol. There is Good News. We don’t have to know about every detail of our lives. We can know and trust the God who does. It is by His grace we don’t know everything. Let’s focus our desire to know on Him.
Needing to Know?
Here are some questions to help you think about finding contentment in not knowing. Instead, refocus on deepening your understanding and knowledge of God’s character.
- What questions are you having about the next couple months?
- Why are you asking these questions? Is it for good or for just keeping control?
- Have you asked God to reveal the answers to you? How do you feel about having to wait?
- How can you call on God more and deepen your knowledge of him in this season of uncertainty?
- Have you praised Him for who He is and what he has already revealed to you?
Thank you guys! I hope you have a graceful rest of the week!! As always….
—- LOVE, Amber