Why It’s Okay Not To Know Everything
We can only do the best we can with what we know.
This isn’t just about personal life decisions or ignorance related to natural matters (i.e. science), but it is also about our individual ideologies related to spiritual concepts and practices.
Our ideologies are not only shaped by our own endeavors of spiritual seeking, but also largely by the truths that are readily available to us at the time.
Even those considered the most wise throughout history had their blindspots because it is impossible for a person to know everything. Certain falsities seem extremely apparent to us only because we are seeing in hindsight.
In the past 10 years alone, consciousness has expanded exponentially due to the interconnectedness social media provides, which has a compounding effect.
This shift is one reason why gurus are no longer revered like they used to. We are coming to understand that each person only has one piece of the Truth pie and how limiting sticking to a singular framework is.
I don’t mean to say that we should be completely scattered—it is okay to concentrate some of your studies in core specialty areas—but it is important to acknowledge the value of a variety of perspectives.
Knowing that we can only do the best we can with what we know, no matter how sincere we are in our truthseeking, gives us a couple revelations:
It is okay not to know everything. Being inquisitive and having a desire for objective truths is wonderful. In fact, more people should engage in critical thinking and strive to learn more.
However, there is a difference between learning for the pure sake of it vs. feeling you need to know it all. Learning for the sake of it is about wanting to grow whereas learning because you feel like you have to know everything is an unrealistic expectation we place on ourselves. Not to mention, it is an enormous amount of PRESSURE.
It allows us to have compassion for those we may believe don’t “get it” (in a particular area) yet. We can recognize falsities and share truths to help people, but we are not superior to anyone. This
reminds me of a quote that has stuck with me: “Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn't do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't know what you know today.”
It allows us to have a greater sense of humility. When you realize how much you don’t know, you are less likely to feel as though you have “arrived.” This is not to be confused with solipsism or downplaying your intelligence. Rather, it is understanding that our level of understanding could never be on par with the infinite wisdom of God.
