Three intrusive words in an email altered my life: Needs Further Evaluation. Without warning, I found myself forced to wait for lab results from a recent biopsy*. While caught in the elusive clutches of the unknown, God met me in what I have chosen to call The Doctrine of Mystery.
One wakeful night in the midst of this medical journey, while Larry made soft, peaceful noises that sounded like wind blowing gently through the trees, I pondered the question: “What is God Teaching Me About Mystery?” The results of my tutorial from the Holy Spirit follow.
Mystery is a sacred space.
“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5b).
Unknown places and unwanted circumstances offer a supernatural opportunity to experience the Presence of God.
Mystery encounters a contest of voices.
“My sheep hear My Voice and I know them and they follow Me” (John 10:27-28).
Caught in the vice grip of waiting, you and I must decide whose voice we will follow.
Mystery fosters the perfect ground for praise and worship.
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
We must determine whether we will wait in worship or wait in worry.
Mystery becomes a haven for faith.
“You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head” (Psalm 139:5).
What I don’t know about my life, I do know about my God.
Mystery provides an opportunity for growth.
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).
While we are interested in the outcome, God is concerned with the journey.
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Medical mysteries carry unique challenges. What is your most recent experience with this reality?
How did God meet you?
What insights do you have to add regarding “The Doctrine of Mystery”?
*This journey is not over. Thankfully, I am not a victim of cancer. But for 5 years I will be on medication in an effort to avoid its clutches.
