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I know so much yet don’t know anything

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all that there is to know and do and that it’s impossible to keep track of what is really important? In the modern age, we are exposed to so much so quickly. We can know what is going on anywhere around the world at any given time.

With Smartphones, we have more information at our fingertips than ever.
Photo by Tamás Mészáros on Pexels

If I want to know what the weather will be like next week, I can check instantly. If I want to find a good Mexican restaurant, I go on Yelp. When I get in my car to go to work, my phone shows me how long the commute will be based on current traffic and it is startlingly accurate. I never even told my phone where I work! But what really is the point of knowing so much? How do we discern what is worth knowing?

The modern age is more about having a breadth of knowledge, and less of knowing things deeply. It’s easy to friend someone on Facebook, it’s difficult to actually spend the time to be a true friend. It’s easy to shake your head at an article on your newsfeed; it’s difficult to do something about it. With the technology to stay connected with each other and attuned to current events, we have a great opportunity to do significant things based on understood needs.

But I think we are held back by all this knowledge. We never feel like an expert, so we don’t believe we are capable. What we know is not the most important thing, it’s what we believe. Do you believe in a God who can move mountains? If so, then what can God do through your life?

When I think about an amplified life, I think of living a life to the fullest. To live life to the fullest would require a deep connection with the God of the universe. I don’t need to know every detail of everything that is happening on this planet. I don’t have to be an expert in ministry, prayer or of the Bible to live my life to the fullest. I don’t want to discount the importance of those things, but I wouldn’t want those things to hold me back from living an amplified life. In fact, developing ministry skills, your prayer life, and knowledge of the Bible aren’t meant to be roadblocks for your spiritual well-being but instead a road map.

Reflection and solitude is a time tested discipline for connecting with God and developing depth in our lives.
Photo by Keegan Houser on Unsplash

With so much technology at your fingertips, so much stuff to do, and so many people and things to keep track of, how does one begin living an amplified life? Here are three steps to get you started:

  • Get connected with God: take 5 minutes out of your day to spend in solitude and listen for God.
  • Get connected with a community of like-minded believers: utilize social media to see who else is out there. There are people who live near you who are at a similar place who would love to get to know you.
  • Start dreaming: Take a risk, try something that you don’t think you can accomplish and begin to make plans to accomplish that task. Ask yourself who else might be interested in what you are dreaming up.

And remember, you don’t have to know everything in order to do something significant. Beginning something significant is a great way to get to know God on a deeper level. It will stretch your faith and put you in a position to see God begin to do powerful and life-affirming things.

1 Corinthians 8:3 – If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God

Michael Aalseth