Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.

Brené Brown

Faith is a Place of Mystery

Topic: Belief & Faith

I’ve come to realize that faith and reason are not natural enemies. We need both faith and reason to make meaning in an uncertain world. Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.

Brené Brown

Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. Additionally, she serves as a visiting professor in management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. Brown's academic roles are extensions of her deeper mission to explore the themes of courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Her research is not just data and theories; it's an invitation to engage with the very elements that make us human.

Brown has spent two decades contributing to our understanding of emotional and social dynamics through her research and writing. She is the author of five books that have risen to the top of the New York Times bestseller list: "The Gifts of Imperfection," "Daring Greatly," "Rising Strong," "Braving the Wilderness," and "Dare to Lead." These works offer pragmatic insights into the nature of human connection. They encourage the reader to embrace their own vulnerabilities, pointing out that it's often in these spaces of uncertainty and risk that we discover our capacity for love and belonging.

Beyond the page, Brown expands her reach through various platforms. Her TED talk, "The Power of Vulnerability," has been viewed more than 50 million times worldwide. She also hosts two podcasts, "Unlocking Us" and "Dare to Lead," providing a space for ongoing discussions about the complexities of the human experience. In 2019, she broke new ground with her Netflix special, "The Call to Courage," becoming the first researcher to present a filmed lecture on the streaming service. Through all these avenues, Brown underscores the need for a heart-centered approach to life, one that makes room for both the challenges and the beauty of our shared human journey.

Science and Spirituality

—Brené Brown. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. P. 90

Brené Brown

Theme: Belief and Faith

About This Brené Brown Quotation [Commentary]

Brené Brown describes faith as “a place of mystery,” where we find the “courage to believe in what we cannot see.” Faith does not require us to have every answer or remove all doubt before we can trust. Rather, it asks us to recognize the limits of certainty while remaining open to what we do not yet understand. This openness requires vulnerability, because believing without seeing means accepting that some of life’s deepest questions cannot be answered through reason alone. Faith allows us to live with these questions while remaining grounded in trust, hope, and the possibility of meaning beyond what we can know.

For Brené Brown, faith also involves finding the “strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.” This does not mean abandoning thoughtful judgment or denying life’s difficulties. It means recognizing that our need for certainty can prevent us from trusting ourselves, others, and the possibilities of life. Letting go of this fear creates room for spiritual understanding and honest inquiry. Belief and faith become expressions of courage when we remain willing to engage with life wholeheartedly, even when the outcome is unknown. We can acknowledge our doubts without allowing them to limit what we are willing to believe or experience.

Brené Brown brings these ideas together through her recognition that “faith and reason are not natural enemies.” Both help us “make meaning in an uncertain world.” Reason allows us to examine our experience, question our assumptions, and seek understanding, while faith helps us accept what remains beyond our knowledge. Neither needs to diminish the other. Together, they help us approach uncertainty with humility, courage, and openness. Wholehearted living does not depend on having assurances before we act, love, or trust. It grows through our willingness to believe without seeing, accept mystery without demanding certainty, and remain engaged with life even when we cannot know what lies ahead.

Additional Brené Brown Quotations [Commentary]

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

—Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden Publishing, 2010, p. 2.

“Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.”

—Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden Publishing, 2010, p. 64.

Faith is a Place of Mystery

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