Faith First, Answers Later: Lessons from Schrödinger’s Cat

Faith, Decisions, and Schrödinger’s Cat: What Quantum Physics Can Teach Us About Trusting God

Life is full of choices, and let’s be honest—many of them come with uncertainty. We want to know the outcome before we act, but it doesn’t always work that way. Strangely enough, an old thought experiment from quantum physics offers a surprisingly useful picture of how faith and decision-making work. It’s called Schrödinger’s cat.

What Is Schrödinger’s Cat?

Physicist Erwin Schrödinger came up with a bizarre scenario to explain the weirdness of quantum mechanics. Imagine a cat sealed in a box with a device that has a 50/50 chance of releasing poison. Until you open the box, the cat is considered both alive and dead at the same time—because there’s no way to know for sure what’s happened.

It’s a strange idea. But it makes a powerful point: you don’t know what’s real until the box is opened.

That’s exactly how our decisions often feel—like a sealed box with unknown outcomes. And it’s exactly where faith comes in.

Decisions Are Like Unopened Boxes

When you’re standing at a crossroads—whether it’s a new job, a ministry opportunity, a relationship, or a personal risk—you’re staring at a sealed box. You can guess, you can pray, and you can imagine all the possibilities. But you won’t know what’s inside until you make the decision.

Think about a student choosing a major, unsure if it will lead to a fulfilling career. Or a believer sensing a call to missions but wrestling with fear of the unknown. Or someone choosing whether to forgive and rebuild a broken relationship. All of these moments feel like Schrödinger’s box—two possible realities existing at once, waiting for the choice to be made.

Many believers feel stuck here, waiting for certainty. But the truth is, clarity often comes after obedience, not before.

Abraham: A Man Who Opened the Box

In Genesis 12:1, God gave Abraham a simple but challenging command:

“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”

God didn’t say where the land was. He didn’t give Abraham a map. He simply said, “Go.”

At that moment, Abraham had a choice. Stay in the familiar, or step into the unknown. But here’s the thing—the promise of blessing only became real after he obeyed.

Hebrews 11:8 says:

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went…”

Abraham’s journey was his moment of “opening the box.” The outcomes God had prepared were waiting—but only revealed once he moved in faith.

Consider what Abraham left behind: his homeland, his extended family, his comfort zone. He didn’t have a GPS or a destination. All he had was a promise. That step of obedience changed not just his life, but the lives of generations to come.

Another Faith Step: Peter Walks on Water

Abraham wasn’t the only one to open a box in faith. In Matthew 14, Peter saw Jesus walking on the water and said, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come.” When Jesus said, “Come,” Peter stepped out of the boat.

At that moment, Peter had no assurance he could walk on water. But he trusted Jesus more than the storm. He “opened the box” and stepped into the unknown. As long as his eyes stayed on Jesus, the impossible became possible.

Faith often requires motion before we see the miracle.

Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur

Why We Hesitate

We often delay decisions because we’re afraid of what could go wrong. We want God to show us the full picture before we commit. But God rarely works that way.

Sometimes we fear failure. What if we choose the wrong job, or miss the perfect opportunity? Other times, we fear disappointment—that things won’t turn out like we hoped. Or maybe we’re just afraid we didn’t hear God clearly.

But here’s the truth: God honors sincere hearts. He doesn’t expect perfection. He looks for faith. And even if we make a wrong turn, He knows how to reroute us (Romans 8:28).

He calls us to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). That doesn’t mean being reckless—it means being willing to trust God even when the outcome isn’t fully visible.

Faith isn’t the absence of uncertainty—it’s the presence of trust.

God Already Knows the Outcome

Here’s the comforting part: while the box is sealed to us, it’s not sealed to God. He sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). He knows what’s ahead. Our job isn’t to figure out every detail—it’s to trust the One who does.

Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

In Revelation 5, there is a scroll sealed with seven seals. No one could open it until the Lamb appeared. Jesus alone was worthy to break the seals and reveal God’s plan. That scroll represents the mysteries of God’s will. And just like that, our lives are full of things only God can reveal—when the time is right.

A Personal Step of Faith

I remember a time when I felt God nudging me to start writing publicly about faith. I didn’t feel qualified. I wasn’t sure anyone would read it. But the tug in my spirit wouldn’t go away. Finally, I said yes. That was my “box.”

Since then, I’ve seen lives impacted, doors open, and God’s hand in ways I never could have predicted. The outcome wasn’t guaranteed. But obedience brought clarity. Just like Abraham and Peter, I had to move first.

Maybe your step of faith looks different. But the principle is the same: trust opens the door to what God has prepared.

How to Step Forward in Faith

If you’re facing a decision and the outcome feels unclear, here are a few simple steps to help you move forward:

Pray — Seek God’s presence, not just His answers.

• Invite Him into the process. Spend time in worship and quiet listening. Let your spirit be led more than your logic.

Search the Word — Let Scripture shape your thinking.

• God speaks through His Word. Ask Him to highlight verses that bring peace or direction. (Psalm 119:105)

Get godly counsel — Ask mature believers for wisdom.

• Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.“

Take the step — If you feel peace and God’s leading, open the box.

• Don’t wait for everything to line up perfectly. Move with what you know and trust God with what you don’t.

The Reward of Faith

Faith-filled decisions don’t always lead to easy roads, but they always lead to growth. When we trust God with our unknowns, we give Him room to work miracles, shape our character, and deepen our relationship with Him.

Peter had to step out to experience the miracle. Abraham had to walk before he could inherit the land. And you have to act before you can see what God has already prepared.

You may not know what’s in the box—but God does. And if He’s the one calling you forward, you can walk with confidence.

Final Thoughts on Schrodinger’s Cat Explained

Schrödinger’s cat may be a strange idea from science, but it points to a spiritual truth: we don’t need to know the outcome to obey—only the One who holds it.

So go ahead. Open the box. Take the step. Trust that what God has prepared is better than anything you could imagine.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Shrodinger’s Cat Explained

1. What does Schrödinger’s cat have to do with the Christian life? While Schrödinger’s cat is a science thought experiment, it illustrates how we often face uncertain outcomes when making decisions. Like the unopened box in the story, we don’t know what will happen until we step out in faith—just like Abraham or Peter did.

2. Is it wrong to want certainty before making a decision? No, it’s human to want clarity. But in many biblical examples, God asks for trust before giving full understanding. Faith means following God’s voice even when the full picture isn’t clear yet.

3. What if I make the wrong decision? If your heart is seeking God, He is faithful to guide, correct, and reroute you as needed (Romans 8:28). God honors sincere faith, even when we make mistakes.

4. How do I know if a decision is from God? Pray, spend time in the Word, seek wise counsel, and pay attention to the peace (or lack of it) in your spirit. God often confirms His will through Scripture, godly advisors, and circumstances aligning.

5. Can faith really change the outcome? Faith positions you to receive what God has already prepared. It doesn’t control the outcome—it connects you to the One who does. Stepping out in faith is how we experience God’s best for our lives.