Mystery and Meaning

In Scripture, mystery refers not to something unknowable but to what was once hidden and has now been disclosed by God — a purpose concealed through the ages, revealed in Christ, and received through faith. It calls not for puzzlement but for wonder, trust, and obedience.

The Mystery of God's Will

The 'mystery of His will' was the plan of salvation, hidden until Jesus rose again victorious over death, whereby all who choose to become His children receive the Holy Spirit as a deposit of what is to come when all believers will be with Him forever in heaven (1 Cor 2:6-10, 15:51; Eph 1:9-14; Col 1:26-27). This mystery — once concealed, now revealed — is the centrepiece of God's eternal purpose: that Jew and Gentile alike would be united in Christ and share in the promise of redemption.

It should be clear to others we are a Jesus follower

As Satan has blinded the spiritual eyes of people so they are unaware of or ignore the offer of salvation, we should pray that as believers we may fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we live for Christ and interact with the unsaved (2 Cor 4:4; Eph 6:19). The mystery is not meant to remain hidden; it is to be proclaimed.

Living With What Remains Hidden

Because we do not possess the attributes of God, some things will remain beyond our level of understanding, yet we are to live by what has been clearly revealed and trust Him for the rest (Deut 29:29). Other things will be revealed to us at the end of time (Isa 40:5). The distinction between what God has disclosed and what He has kept hidden is itself an act of mercy — we are given enough light to walk by, and enough mystery to keep us dependent on Him.

When things don't make sense, keep walking with Him in faith

The walk of faith is precisely this: to keep going when the answers are not yet known. Abraham was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went — even though he did not know where he was going (Heb 11:8). His obedience was not born of clarity but of trust, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6). Similarly, the psalmist confesses that his steps are ordered by the Lord, even though the path ahead is not fully visible (Ps 37:23-24). Faith does not demand a map of the entire journey; it asks only for enough light for the next step (Ps 119:105).

While we do not know why many things happen to us, it is our responsibility to love God and praise Him at all times and in all situations, including the bewildering times of confusion which call for a sacrifice of praise (Ps 34:1; Eph 5:20; 1 Thes 5:18). He desires the long-term best for us, and wants to develop His character in us — which only comes about as we yield to Him in the situations of life — while we would rather settle for comfort and the end result, not the process by which it comes.

When things don't make sense, keep walking with Him in faith and entrust yourself to His loving arms. He doesn't give us anything unbeneficial or harmful — even if we may question it at the time because we do not comprehend His loving intentions for us, as in His wisdom and sovereignty He operates in a different way to us — His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Deut 33:27; Isa 55:8-9; Mt 7:7-11). Satan must gain permission to harass those believers walking with God, as His eye is always on His children (Job 1:8-12, 2:3-6; Ps 31:5,15; Lk 22:31-32).

Trust is not passive resignation. It is an active choice to believe that God is who He says He is, even when circumstances suggest otherwise. Job, stripped of everything, declared: "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him" (Job 13:15). Habakkuk, facing the coming devastation of his nation, resolved to rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in God his Saviour, even when the fig tree did not bud and there were no grapes on the vine (Hab 3:17-18). These are not expressions of denial but of deep, tested trust — the kind that is forged only in the furnace of not knowing why, yet choosing to follow regardless.

Mystery and the Believer's Witness

The mystery of the gospel is not a private possession but a public trust. Paul describes it as something made known so that the manifold wisdom of God might be displayed through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Eph 3:10). The believer's life — marked by integrity, love, and boldness — becomes a living testimony to a reality that the world cannot see on its own.

The mystery is not diminished by being shared; it is multiplied

This witness is both verbal and visible. We are to pray for open doors to declare the mystery of Christ clearly, as we ought to speak (Col 4:3-4), and at the same time to live in such a way that the reality of what God has done becomes evident to those around us. The mystery is not diminished by being shared; it is multiplied.

Reflection and Application:

Is there an area of your life where you are struggling to trust God with what He has not yet revealed?
How might viewing mystery as an invitation to trust — rather than a problem to solve — change your response to suffering?
Are you making the mystery of the gospel known fearlessly, or has your witness become muted?
What would it look like to offer a sacrifice of praise in your current circumstances (Ps 34:1)?

See also: faith, gnosticism, questions, secret, trust, why