It’s Okay to say, "I Don’t Know"

I’m a fixer by nature.  I grew up in a time when you had no choice but to fix something if it wasn’t working.  Whether it was a piece of equipment, or a hurt feeling, daddy would say. “Well fix it!”  It took me a very long time to recognize that trait/flaw in myself.  Why would I say it’s a flaw?  Not everyone wants to have something fixed.  Just because something “seems” broken or out of sorts doesn’t always mean it should be changed or “fixed”.  Many times, I have blurted out my opinion on how something needed “fixing”, when in reality it wasn’t really broken to begin with.

I once had someone tell me that you should never say, “I don’t Know”.  Instead you should say, “Let me find out” or “I’ll get back to you with the answer.” I have a really hard time saying, “I don’t know.” When you refuse to say, “I don’t know” you end up sounding like a “know it all.”  …Ouch… that hurt!    

Those three words, I Dont Know, are three words I hate to say.  How often have you ever been asked something and you had to answer with those 3 little words?  Now, let me ask you this. How many times in your life, have you been in circumstances, when you just didn’t know?  Didn’t know how to fix, didn’t know how to respond, didn’t understand what was happening, didn’t know how to handle a situation, didn’t know why you were feeling the way you were?  That’s a lot of “I don’t knows”. I have had many of those and they ended with frustration and tears, sometimes even anger.

And then…

John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Psalm 12:12 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

There are many more scriptures that help with the “I don’t knows”.  But the best is simply to pray.  Find a quiet spot, take a walk, or just sit and listen for a while. Then, you just talk to God.  No fancy words.  No quoting scripture. Just talk.  He will always listen.

Lord,

“I don’t know what’s going on.  I don’t know what is wrong.  I don’t know how to handle this situation. I don’t know why I feel this way. I don’t know how to process this.  I don’t know what to do next.  I don’t know where to go from here.” 

… Then you just listen. Read the verses above again and listen.

And because you have prayed, then with whatever bit of faith you have you say, “I don’t know Lord, but YOU do know.” 

Amen