Sometimes, we need to know before we do.
We read the contract before signing on the dotted line.
One studies how an airplane works before deciding to fly it.
At other times, however, the only way to know is to do.
One learns cooking by cooking and dancing by dancing.
Reading a cookbook surely helps. Watching TikTok can give you some dancing ideas. Still, one really learns by doing.
Understanding largely follows action in many of the most important areas of life.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote about how the modern Westerner often seeks to fully understand before committing. Sacks said this was fine when the stakes were low, but not when making "a deep existential commitment."
He continued, "The only way to understand leadership is to lead. The only way to understand marriage is to get married. The only way to understand whether a certain career path is right for you is to actually try it for an extended period.”
If we’re holding back from committing before we fully understand, we may instead need to pray for courage.
If we're courageous enough to act, we might find that understanding coming along for the ride.