| July 2008 |
Why All This Chaos?
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Focused and On Track |
God, why is all this chaos (mess) in my life?
What’s going on? Can’t you see I’m hurting?
- The definition of chaos is:
- great disorder or confusion
- The definition of mess is:
- a disorderly accumulation, heap or jumble;
- a confused or troubling condition
Are you having confusion right now? Does it seem as if you can’t think straight? Does it feel as if you have too much to handle? Are things spinning around in your life, trying to take you down?
First of all, you must know that God is NOT the one bringing the chaos, mess, and confusion.
1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV) For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
Sometimes these feelings of chaos, mess and/or confusion are just part of the fact that the end of the world draws nigh. Even the earth feels this.
Romans 8:22 (NIV) We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
The earth even knows that our time is short and it too is waiting for the return of Jesus. Have you noticed the increase in earthquakes, floods, tsunami, landslides, and all these disasters that are happening in the world? All of this mess that’s going on is an example of the earth groaning and travailing and waiting for the return of Jesus – just as a pregnant woman does in child birth.
We also are doing the same thing. Our spirit inside of us is waiting and looking for the return of Jesus Christ. We’re looking and anticipating the time when our mortal bodies take on immortality.
Romans 8:23 (NIV) Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
A lot of the chaos, mess and confusion in our lives comes from Satan.
John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
1 Peter 4:12 (NKJV) Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
What is a mess or chaos to you may not be to someone else. God made each of us different and unique.
Psalm 139:13-14 (NKJV) For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
We can’t compare ourselves to others. We are each unique and how we handle situations in our lives are different from everyone else. God knows this about us.
If we allow it to, this chaos, confusion and mess in our lives, can bring fear and/or depression.
I HAVE GOOD NEWS! God knows you’re hurting. He knows all about what is in your life and what’s going on around you. He is well aware of your concerns and your trials. He sees every single tear that you cry. It does not go unnoticed with Him. God encourages us in His Word! He already knew what was going to happen to you. Be encouraged by HIS WORD!
John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Jesus even said these things: “I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” Did you notice that – be of good cheer! He’s already overcome all of this mess! He made a way of escape!
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Isaiah 59:19 (NKJV) …When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.
Ephesians 2:14-16 (NKJV) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
Psalm 29:11 (NKJV) The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 55:18 (NKJV) He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
John 14:27 (NKJV) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15 (NKJV) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Psalm 4:8 (NKJV) I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God. We must be about the Father’s Business.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Luke 2:48-49 (NKJV) So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
I heard a song this week and I don’t remember anything about this song, except one line which was: “You brought me peace in the land of my suffering.” God is saying, I will give you peace right in the middle of your pain and suffering.
We don’t need to ask God to remove the mess, the suffering and the storms from our lives. We need to ask Him to calm US in the middle of it.
God will bring us the peace – it’s up to us to praise Him in the midst of it. The praise we give Him will be our escape. Our Praise will bring the peace.
Psalm 22:3 (KJV, ASV) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
God’s Word says in Psalms that God Inhabits the Praises of His People. If God is in the middle of our praise, then HE WILL MAKE A WAY for you! He will help you in your times of chaos and confusion.