Searching for Certainty in Uncertain Times
Certainty. I am a bit addicted to it.
More addicted than to my cup of caffeinated Earl Grey first thing in the morning. More addicted than to chocolate-covered caramels from a little shop where I live.
I like lists, checked off boxes, and no big surprises by the end of the day.
So, when my husband Kevin and I missed a turn-off on a loop hike in the Superstition
Mountains that resulted in extra miles, you could say I was not a happy camper. Not one little bit. The plan had been to take Second Water to Black Mesa to the Dutchman Trail and back to the car. But the devastation from a recent fire distracted us as we snapped sobering photographs of shriveled up barrel cacti and six-foot saguaro giants toppled on the desert floor. We walked right past the juncture to Black Mesa taking us to Boulder Canyon and unplanned adventures.
Boulder Canyon. The name is not a misnomer. We found ourselves crossing a dry creek
bed multiple times as we scrambled over large rocks and boulders being careful of ankles, older knees, and burrs that had to be removed from our dog’s paws from the dried-up vegetation. False turns and side trails increased our walking on the unfamiliar terrain as our watches ticked off the hours and our cheerful conversation dwindled to dismay as we ventured down one more twist and turn.
Certainty. As we head into the holidays, I can’t help but wonder how much certainty
Joseph faced when he packed for a trip to Bethlehem in response to a government decree, while being mindful of Mary in her advanced pregnancy. Dusty miles. An overcrowded inn. A birth in a stable. I am sure none of those circumstances were on any mental checklist of how they thought Jesus would enter the world.
In the book, Searching for Certainty by Shelly Miller she writes of the tension we live in
between hope in the new things God is releasing in us and the fear he won’t come through in the way we planned. Miller continues to detail the danger of assuming transitions will be ordered without any bumps or detours (or boulders) and challenges her readers to “translate unforeseen roadblocks and delays as an opportunity to know God and be known by him.”
Unplanned events give us the chance to rely on God and not on ourselves. We can learn a
lesson from Mary, who chose to treasure all the things that happened and “to ponder them in her heart” Luke 2:19. Taking time to ponder God’s ways during this uncertain holiday season is a good spiritual practice.
And as for us? Our unplanned turn on a hike in the Superstition Mountains led to a snack
break at a desert oasis, incredible views, and stories to tell around a future campfire.
Not a bad end to an uncertain day.
Beginning January 4, the group I lead at Bible Journaling Connection will be starting a new section of scripture, as we connect with God, our faith, and with others as we respond creatively to God's Word. Join us on Facebook and Instagram. Find out more here, including info on a free, 5-part video series.