I was talking about faith with a family member the other day and we were talking about the pitfalls of always trying to have answers. We humans have an obsession with knowing how things work and why things happen. As a scientist myself I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but we can become blinkered by this obsession. Christians can be the worst of all. What is it that stops us saying that we don't know? When people question our faith we can't stand the thought of answering them with an "I don't know". We feel like if our faith is strong then we should have all the solutions, all the pithy quotes.
I came to faith in an almost clinical manner. I studied historical facts and followed A+B=C thought processes until I arrived at what was to me, the most logical conclusion. Since then my life has changed hugely. I have seen prayers answered and lives turned around. I have witnessed the great power of God, heard tell of many miracles, seen wonderful healing. I have studied the bible and experienced its uniqueness and very great wisdom, I have seen the good works people do in the name of their faith. But, despite all this, there is something much more. It is like true love. I love my husband very much; he is a wise, strong, compassionate man, who puts God first, me second and himself last. He has so many amazing qualities and attributes to admire. but that's not why I love him. If there was no "just because", it wouldn't be love.
Faith is the same. I have many solid things to base my faith on but actually, running all through it and underpinning it all, there is my "just because". It's something we need to embrace. We mustn't let people make us feel inferior for not having a definite, qualitative answer to every question; for not conforming to a world obsessed with scientific justification. After all, who would you have the most respect for: someone who had a quick answer for everything or someone who admitted perhaps there were some things that they did not understand? "Just because" may have been the annoying answer your parents gave you as a child when you questionned their instructions, it may not be the answer you feel comfortable giving to your friends, but to God, it's the best answer of all.
