What happens when there are no more answers? I don’t mean simply less answers than questions—we already exist in that reality. I genuinely mean what I said… what happens when there are no more answers? Scientists and psychologists have myriad responses to my query, but ultimately, they’re in the same boat as the rest of us poorer thinkers. We just don’t know. It is the last station for all of our trains; some of us are just taking a hyper-speed light rail, and others are taking a scenic tourist train, stopping at Philosopher’s Village, the Vineyard of Transcendentalism, and a Temple to an Unknown God. I think most of us embark on the latter adventure. Still, we all arrive at the haunting realization that one day, we’ll stop asking questions, because we’re sick of the answers, don’t want to know the answers, or there are no more answers. But we won’t go gently.
Thomas Gray said ignorance is bliss. He did say this in context to fate, but I’m still unsure I agree with him. Isn’t it better to know that we’ll be disappointed? Doesn’t that make the joy sweeter?
Andy Squyres just released his new EP, and he has a song called “Baja Blast.” He writes these lyrics:
I moaned a bitter moaning, then I sang the sweetest song
With my disappointed people, to our disappointing God
Our preacher gave no answers, for he had none to give
That is when we knew our precious Lord was in our midst1
This was also in the context of fate and death, and I’m inclined to agree with this line of thinking more. Isn’t it better to know that even God will disappoint us? By arming ourselves with that knowledge, won’t that make the good times even sweeter? Won’t that make His blessings even greater?
In this day and age, especially in Western societies, our finances drive so many of our decisions, on personal and national levels. And for all intents and purposes, it would seem as though economically, we’re comparably better than most. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to find God in our daily lives. Maybe we sold Him for something different. Maybe we sold Him for answers that help us sleep at night. Maybe more sleepless nights would actually drive us closer to His heart. After all, He’s already in our midst.