Embracing Uncertainty: Trusting God in the 'Perhaps'
Summary
In our journey through life, uncertainty is a constant companion, and it plays a crucial role in shaping our stories and relationships. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our heart, a uniquely human capacity that artificial intelligence cannot replicate. Trust involves vulnerability, placing our hopes, fears, and desires into the hands of a trustworthy person or God. This vulnerability is central to our relationships and our spiritual journey.
Reflecting on the word "perhaps," we see it as a recurring theme in the Bible and in our lives. It embodies the tension between faith and doubt, certainty and uncertainty. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego illustrates this beautifully. They faced the fiery furnace with the belief that God could save them, but even if He didn't, they would not bow to the king. This is a profound example of commitment over certainty.
Similarly, Esther's story shows us the courage to act despite uncertainty. She risked her life to save her people, saying, "If I perish, I perish." The Bible is filled with such stories where "perhaps" plays a pivotal role, reminding us that faith is not about certainty in outcomes but about commitment to God.
Even Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, faced the "perhaps" of His mission. He prayed for another way but ultimately trusted God's will. This teaches us that even in our moments of doubt, we can trust God with our whole heart.
The story of a man who unknowingly brought flowers to a murderer's grave, only to meet his future wife through this act, illustrates the unexpected ways God can work in our lives. It reminds us that faith is not about knowing what will happen but about trusting in who God is.
Today, embrace the "perhaps" in your life. Trust that God is present, listening, and strengthening you. Live in the great "perhaps," knowing that it is part of what makes our stories beautiful and meaningful.
Key Takeaways:
1. Trust and Vulnerability: Trust is a deeply personal capacity that involves vulnerability. It is about placing our hopes, fears, and desires into the hands of a trustworthy person or God. This vulnerability is central to our relationships and spiritual journey. [01:35]
2. The Power of "Perhaps": The word "perhaps" embodies the tension between faith and doubt, certainty and uncertainty. It is a recurring theme in the Bible, reminding us that faith is not about certainty in outcomes but about commitment to God. [02:45]
3. Courage in Uncertainty: Stories like Esther's show us the courage to act despite uncertainty. Her willingness to risk her life for her people teaches us that faith involves taking risks and trusting God, even when the outcome is uncertain. [03:48]
4. Jesus and the Great "Perhaps": Even Jesus faced the "perhaps" of His mission in the Garden of Gethsemane. His prayer for another way, yet ultimate trust in God's will, teaches us that even in doubt, we can trust God with our whole heart. [06:12]
5. Unexpected Paths: The story of the man who met his wife through an unexpected act of kindness illustrates how God can work in surprising ways. It reminds us that faith is about trusting in who God is, not knowing what will happen. [10:27]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:43] - Trust and Artificial Intelligence
[01:11] - The Vulnerability of Trust
[01:50] - The Word "Perhaps"
[02:59] - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
[03:48] - Esther's Courage
[04:17] - Jonathan's Faith
[05:02] - The Story of Jim and Elizabeth Elliot
[06:12] - Jesus in the Garden
[06:39] - Jeremiah's "Perhaps"
[07:22] - God's Invitation
[08:36] - The Flower Story
[10:27] - Faith and Commitment
[11:16] - Jonah's Story
[12:04] - Living in the Great "Perhaps"
[12:22] - Community and Connection
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
2. Daniel 3:16-18 - The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego facing the fiery furnace.
3. Esther 4:14-16 - Esther's decision to approach the king, risking her life for her people.
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### Observation Questions
1. What does Proverbs 3:5-6 suggest about the nature of trust and its role in our relationship with God? How is this different from the capabilities of artificial intelligence? [00:43]
2. In the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, what was their response to the king's threat, and how does it illustrate the concept of "perhaps"? [02:59]
3. How did Esther demonstrate courage in the face of uncertainty, and what was her attitude towards the potential outcome of her actions? [03:48]
4. What unexpected outcome resulted from the man's act of kindness in the flower story, and how does this relate to the theme of "perhaps"? [10:27]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "perhaps" challenge the common understanding of faith as certainty? What does this suggest about the nature of faith in the biblical context? [02:45]
2. In what ways does the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane reflect the tension between human desire and divine will? How does this inform our understanding of trust in God? [06:12]
3. How might the recurring theme of "perhaps" in the Bible encourage believers to embrace uncertainty in their spiritual journey? What does this imply about the role of vulnerability in faith? [07:22]
4. How does the story of Esther and the phrase "If I perish, I perish" illustrate the relationship between courage and faith? What can this teach us about taking risks for a greater purpose? [03:48]
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### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a situation in your life where you are facing uncertainty. How can you apply the principle of trusting in the Lord with all your heart, as mentioned in Proverbs 3:5-6? [00:43]
2. Consider a time when you had to make a decision without knowing the outcome. How did you handle the "perhaps" in that situation, and what would you do differently now? [02:45]
3. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with vulnerability. How can you practice placing your hopes and fears into the hands of God or a trustworthy person? [01:35]
4. Think about a risk you feel called to take for the sake of others, similar to Esther's story. What steps can you take to move forward with courage, even if the outcome is uncertain? [03:48]
5. Reflect on a time when an unexpected event led to a positive outcome in your life. How can this experience encourage you to trust in God's plan, even when it seems unclear? [10:27]
6. How can you cultivate a mindset that embraces the "perhaps" in your daily life, allowing for God's presence and guidance in unexpected ways? [08:22]
7. Consider a relationship in your life that requires trust. What practical steps can you take to build or restore trust in that relationship, acknowledging the vulnerability involved? [01:35]
Devotional
Day 1: Trust as Vulnerability
Trust is a profound act of vulnerability, where we place our deepest hopes, fears, and desires into the hands of someone trustworthy, whether it be a person or God. This vulnerability is not a weakness but a strength that forms the foundation of our relationships and spiritual journey. Trusting in the Lord with all our heart, as Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages, is a uniquely human capacity that artificial intelligence cannot replicate. It requires us to open ourselves up to the possibility of being hurt or disappointed, yet it is through this openness that we find true connection and growth. [01:35]
"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life do you find it difficult to trust, and what steps can you take today to begin building that trust?
Day 2: Embracing the Power of "Perhaps"
The word "perhaps" captures the tension between faith and doubt, certainty and uncertainty. It is a recurring theme in the Bible, reminding us that faith is not about certainty in outcomes but about commitment to God. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego illustrates this beautifully as they faced the fiery furnace with the belief that God could save them, but even if He didn't, they would not bow to the king. This is a profound example of commitment over certainty, teaching us that faith involves embracing the unknown and trusting in God's plan. [02:45]
"Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?" (2 Samuel 12:22, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling with uncertainty, and how can you commit to trusting God in that area today?
Day 3: Courage in the Face of Uncertainty
Stories like Esther's show us the courage to act despite uncertainty. Her willingness to risk her life for her people teaches us that faith involves taking risks and trusting God, even when the outcome is uncertain. Esther's story is a powerful reminder that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act in faith despite it. By stepping into the unknown, we open ourselves to the possibility of God working in unexpected ways. [03:48]
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, ESV)
Reflection: What is one courageous step you can take today in an area of your life where you feel uncertain?
Day 4: Jesus and the Great "Perhaps"
Even Jesus faced the "perhaps" of His mission in the Garden of Gethsemane. His prayer for another way, yet ultimate trust in God's will, teaches us that even in doubt, we can trust God with our whole heart. Jesus' example shows us that it is okay to wrestle with doubt and uncertainty, but ultimately, we are called to surrender to God's will, trusting that His plans are greater than our own. [06:12]
"And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'" (Matthew 26:39, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to surrender your will to God, and how can you begin to do that today?
Day 5: Discovering Unexpected Paths
The story of the man who met his wife through an unexpected act of kindness illustrates how God can work in surprising ways. It reminds us that faith is about trusting in who God is, not knowing what will happen. By embracing the unexpected and being open to God's leading, we can discover new paths and opportunities that we never imagined. This requires a willingness to let go of our own plans and trust that God's ways are higher than ours. [10:27]
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent unexpected event in your life. How can you see God's hand in it, and what might He be inviting you to learn or do as a result?
Quotes
Trust in the Lord with all your heart artificial intelligence can do amazing things it can calculate and process all kinds of information but it can't trust doesn't trust this is a uniquely human capacity now we can make human beings through procreation Maybe someday God will enable us to make persons in other ways but this is a deeply personal capacity to be able to trust and it's a good thing to be able to trust uncertainty although it's really hard for us is Central to story because it's Central to relationships. [00:00:45]
There's something about trusting about the vulnerability of placing myself in my heart in my life and my desires and my hopes and my fears into the arms of a trustworthy person that's a good thing that fits personhood and part of our story is walking through this journey. [00:01:31]
Jimmy said if there was one word it would be the word perhaps I want to know God I want to trust in him with all my heart I want to believe that God will watch over me and care for my life but if I'm honest about it I also struggle with um doubts and questions and fears and things that have gone wrong and problems and hurts and so the word is perhaps. [00:02:18]
There's a difference between uh commitment that's something I'm able to choose to offer and then certainty and that I cannot and should not try to conjure up by an act of willpower often uh folks in certain rooms in the church Ur will get that idea no you can't even acknowledge uncertainty When you pray or you might not get what you're after you just have no no no no no no. [00:03:13]
Perhaps God Will Save Me perhaps not limitations I think it's 3: 29 talks about the need to repent and says let Fallen human beings fill their mouths with dust perhaps there is still hope perhaps there is still hope Jonathan in 1 Samuel I think is 146 says to his armor be when they're facing Philistines the great enemy let's go over to the other side perhaps the Lord will deliver us so we're going to risk our lives for that. [00:04:00]
Even Jesus in the garden this is part of his story where he prays to the father uh if there is another way let this cup pass from me perhaps there's another way to get this done perhaps there's another way for the world to be reconciled to you God perhaps Jesus himself is haunted by the great perhaps nevertheless I trust you with my whole heart not my will but yours be done. [00:06:07]
Perhaps they will listen perhaps they will turn from their evil ways even God it seems is kind of haunted by the great perhaps God of course is not limited and yet if the Incarnation teaches us anything it's that God limits himself and from the very beginning in creation God allows human beings you and I to have a kingdom we talk about that so much that we're invited to align our kingdom with with his kingdom. [00:07:07]
Perhaps today you will walk with God in a way that you haven't before perhaps today I will trust God listen for God seek to love love seek to give seek to help so the invitation today is make this word your word perhaps don't try to force yourself to to have more certainty than you actually do but as you walk through this dayto day perhaps God will be present perhaps God will be here perhaps God is listening perhaps God is strengthening perhaps God is encouraging perhaps God is present perhaps I can meet him you never know you never know that's part of what makes a story so wonderful. [00:07:49]
Faith Christian faith is not certainty about what it's uh commitment to who it's not certainty about what will happen sometimes people I remember somebody telling me they had a vision for what will happen to my family someday Perhaps Perhaps I don't know but there's a conviction about who wonderful example of that little word perhaps in the Book of Jonah that very strange story of the runaway prophet and one of the aspects of that book is pretty much everybody in that book pagans people living in Nineveh they really bad guys folks on the boat where Jonah's trying to run away they all have more faith than Jonah the prophet does. [00:10:34]
Live today in the great perhaps from one moment to the next perhaps God is here perhaps I can give perhaps I can be useful perhaps I can learn perhaps I can see beauty perhaps I can hear the sound of the birds and remember the one uh who observes them so carefully that not one of them can fall out of a nest he feeds them perhaps I can love perhaps I can grow perhaps I can be grateful live today in the great perhaps that's the story. [00:11:47]
The story was all night recently of a uh man who uh uh the beginning of the story is not happy his father passed away he's in I think the village of Sussex in England and uh he loved his dad very much so he and his family would bring flowers to his father's grave on a very regular basis his um other relatives to do the same thing so that he said his father's grave after a while started to look like the third place winner of the Chelsea flower show and after a while he felt kind of bad because there was a grave next to his father and it never got any flowers and so uh he began to bring flowers there when he would bring flowers to his dad's grave and he does this for a couple of years and then he thinks it'd be good to get to know a little bit more about the man in this grave to whom I'm bringing flowers and when he read about him online he was quite horrified to find out the reason that nobody brought that man flowers is that that man uh murdered his wife and her parents and then he felt terrible about bringing flowers to this guy so he decided uh as a kind of a makeup thing that he ought to bring flowers to the woman who had been killed and he did that on a fairly regular basis until one day when he was there and a woman approached him at that grave and said uh why are you bringing flowers to the grave of my aunt and my grandparents and then he had to tell her this rather odd story but she was quite sympathetic and quite kind and he says although this sounds really odd I ended up asking her out for a cup of coffee and she said yes and a long story short that's how he met his wife. [00:08:36]
Perhaps Perhaps this is the day we don't know well uh Faith Christian faith is not certainty about what it's uh commitment to who it's not certainty about what will happen sometimes people I remember somebody telling me they had a vision for what will happen to my family someday Perhaps Perhaps I don't know but there's a conviction about who wonderful example of that little word perhaps in the Book of Jonah that very strange story of the runaway prophet and one of the aspects of that book is pretty much everybody in that book pagans people living in Nineveh they really bad guys folks on the boat where Jonah's trying to run away they all have more faith than Jonah the prophet does. [00:10:34]
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