“Be thankful in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 

I Thessalonians 5:18 

The more trips I have around the sun, the more I realize that connections with family and friends is way more important than having to know something about everything or everything about some thing.   I realized with great relief that at some point in my life I gave up the need to be “right” in every situation, and to only believe that which I had an understanding.  It’s a tough job to always have to be “right” or be expected to absorb understanding of every situation.   That’s one expectation that I don’t want to carry.  Once given up, I recognized that I listened to others better, that my blood pressure decreased, that I smiled more, that I learned to relax, and I enjoyed those around me with a sense of appreciation for who they are, and not what I wanted them to be. 

That state of relaxation of not having to carry around what I call “the burden of understanding”.  That heavy weight of having to be a “know it all” or “have all the answers” to every perplexing opinion about whatever happens in life is burdensome (Quite honestly, if I really needed all the answers, I can “Google it” for further understanding).  But even that crutch sometimes ceases my thinking process or eliminates the habit of “wonder” that forces me to contemplate those unknown answers in the space between “knowing” and “not knowing”.  

Like this.  I often wonder why the sky is blue.   And I know that if I had that answer, I would probably not look up and admire the sky with its magnificent clouds.   Even though I’m on a couple hundred airline flights a year, I’m the guy still staring out the window, staring at the clouds with a sense of wonder, trying to “take it all in”. 

I look at the stars at night and I still sit in awe of the wonder of the universe, and it makes me think of how big “it” all is.  And as I stare at the celestial heavens, see the Milky Way, and even catch a glimpse of some object as simple as the moon, I am filled with wonder.  I really don’t want to know more, but I do want to just sit and take it all in.    I don’t need to know where it all came from, why it is there, or how a star is formed, or why it all works the way it does. For me,  that “not knowing” keeps me glued to the wonder of it all. 

Instead of allowing my lack of understanding consume me, I’ve come to realize that it’s okay to “not know” and to “not have all the answers” and imaginably, that may not be a bad place to be.  

I don’t think that I’ll ever know why the sky is blue.    

I marvel at why a ship floats. 

I can’t fathom the concept of the ocean being so deep. 

The whole animal world blows my mind…especially the design of elephants. 

I am amazed at the passage time (I have no idea why!) 

I watch people and stand in awe of God’s design and creation.  

All that wondering has brought me to this juncture in my life; a state of contentment about life that allows time to be thankful for everything in my life and those around me.  Maybe you’ve been like me. So busy in life that you’ve hardly taken the time to sit back and be grateful for it all.  Maybe that’s just my simple conclusion of one who has lived for seven decades.   Who knows?  But I’m sure of this.  Not having to know everything has moved me to a sense of wonder.  And that wonder has brought on a feeling of contentment.  And when content, I am moved to a great sensation of thankfulness. 

I’ve never been accused of being a Bible scholar even thought I was the Oklahoma Bible Quiz Champ of 1969.  I do know a little bit about scripture.   As I read more of it, I’ve come to embrace these two beliefs.  And these two beliefs helped me take the first step in not having to be a “know it all”. 

First, that everything that has come to me has first passed through the hands of God.  Yes, even the stuff that I don’t understand.  There are so many things that I don’t grasp about this life.  Perhaps those perplexities will be the items of discussion during our question-and-answer time with God when I get to heaven. 

And secondly, everything that comes to us, has done so to transform us more into His image and character.   I don’t understand this one either.  But, I do believe it. 

Those two perspectives may be a theological mess, but for me, it has created a peace that passes my understanding, and in some weird way, created a thankfulness for everything in my life….the challenges, the hurts, the struggles, and the hardships….and made me appreciate those people around me and in my family just a little more. 

I was performing a wedding recently and asked the couple if they thought that God brought them together.  They both answered “Yes!”  I followed up their answer and said, “Then everything that comes to you has first passed through the Hands of God, and comes to you to draw you closer to each other.”  I hope they remember my words when they encounter those “various trials” that marriage brings.   I’m sure of this.  One day, they will be thankful for those trials if they believe that those challenges have been vetted by the One that brought them together.    

Just like we will when we see the fruits of various trials in our life.  And if we don’t see them in this life, then I’m sure that you might be standing next to me at the question-and-answer session when we get to heaven. 

For me, this has been quite a different year for me.  I almost drowned in an incident a few months ago.  I have had more stitches in my face than the laces of a baseball (skin cancer).  Next week I’ll have a kidney transplant.  Not exactly a normal year for me, but one that has caused me to do a lot of reflecting in my time of not traveling and speaking around the country.   I would laughingly title this year for me as a “year of staples & stitches.” 

That reflecting has forced me to embrace that which I’ve always believed, that everything has first passed through His hands.  I don’t understand it. But I don’t have to.   I have become somewhat relaxed and content with my circumstances.  And in some weird way, this kind of thinking or wondering has done something to me.  It’s changed my perspective on how I look at everything that is happening in my life….and brought me to this. 

A sincere attitude and perspective of thankfulness. 

That’s my hope for you this Thanksgiving season.  If you’ve had a tougher year than usual and you feel a little beat up or confused about what all is happening in our life, my prayer is that you would give up trying to “figure it all out” and rest in not having to “know it all”.  Spend more time in wonder about His creation, your life, your family, and where you fit in it all.  Contentment is resting in where and what you are in the midst of maybe some unforeseen circumstances.   I hope this would usher in a sense of thankfulness that would permeate your heart and make your connections with those around you better than ever. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Because He knows….you don’t have to.