Artists need mystery. And since I see all humanity as artists or creatives, I could rephrase that to say, humanity needs mystery. But we try to convince ourselves we don’t. We try to live like we can do without it. We try to pretend like nothing surprises us.
We think, especially as adults, that we should have everything figured out, to have answers for everything. I notice this a lot in matters of spirituality and faith. We want to figure God out, so we can defend our beliefs. We want to sum up His character and His rules, so we can convince others of how they need to be living. I read a blog post recently that reminded me of this.
“Fundamentalism creates a system of words, bible quotes, and techniques for salvation that are supposedly certain, so that you can always knows the ground on which you stand and keep God on your side.”
I like to have a safe little box to contain all my wisdom. I like to try and accumulate enough wisdom so that my collection is complete and life can make complete sense and I can live it perfectly and convince others I’m doing so. But I am reminded of Solomon, who the Bible says was the wisest man of all times. If anyone were to have it all figured out, including God and how to live life, it would be him. But listen what he writes,
“When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realized that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you’ll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth. Search as hard as you like, you’re not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won’t get to the bottom of it.” - Ecclesiastes 8:16-17
Now, I suppose, depending on the mood you are in, this could be a disheartening few sentences from Solomon. Search as hard as you can, you won’t figure it out. But what I’m finding is if I give in to the true desires of my heart, I find I like a good mystery. I like unearthing a clue that leads to another clue. I like knowing that today can’t possibly be the same as yesterday because things are ever shifting. Mystery creates wonder because mystery eliminates the possibility of things becoming mundane. Mystery keeps faith alive. If I go to church, and I hear that everything is already figured out about God and I’m spoon-fed what I need to know about Him in order to understand Him, I am robbed of wonder and mystery. Why would I stay? There’s nothing to explore, it’s all figured out.
“When fundamentalism and fear become the essence of a religious community, artists and creatives will either flee or be destroyed.” -Randy Elrod, Fundamentalism and Fear: The Great Enemies of Creativity and Art
If I go to school, and I hear that everything is already figured out about science and math and history and writing and I’m spoon-fed what I need to know to be successful, I am robbed of wonder and mystery. Why am I needed in the world, everything is already figured out. My creativity is not necessary.
I think wisdom and Truth and knowledge are wonderful things to run after and even cling to, but if we ever think we have “arrived” and there is no mystery left to seek, then I fear wonder will be dead to us. And if wonder is dead, our lives and the present moments we find ourselves living in have nothing left to explore.
We wake, if ever we wake at all, to mystery…
—Annie Dillard
Wonder and mystery go hand in hand.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I need mystery. I’ve come to this place in my faith where I know God (of course, there is still more to know, always), but I marvel in what I cannot know. I marvel that our greatest human wisdom is but foolishness. I marvel in the journey to know and one day see Him.
I was recently telling someone in my family that and they were shocked and stunned and I think it scared them a little. I guess people like facts… but maybe facts limit us.
Today I saw this quote…The limitations I put on God don’t affect him, they bind me.
I’m guilty of trying to figure out too much, and like you said, where’s the wonder and mystery in that? Who are we really following when we think we have it all figured out? God is always a step ahead of me, and I like it this way! Thoughtful Post Mandy, thanks