“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble…The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:1, 7 NLT)
In this season of my life, I strongly believe our lives are allowed to be more chaotic than they should be, especially if we’re a Jesus follower. What comes to your mind when you see or think of the word “chaos?” The Hebrew word used in the verse above and is translated “trouble” means: “distress, affliction, adversity, anguish, tribulation.”
As you think about your life – your spouse, family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, social acquaintances, essentially anyone in your spheres of influence – how would you describe all or some of those relationships? And I’m not suggesting that chaos reigns across your whole life, or even is restricted to just relationships, but our interactions with others often characterizes our life as a whole.
How would you define “chaos” as it relates to your life? It may be your house at the end of the day when you have 4 pre-teens running rampant; or the dining room table and kitchen after serving your family Thanksgiving dinner; or your desk at work while preparing for a major presentation.
These and a thousand other scenarios can render our lives “chaotic,” and we can chalk it up as just a part of life, and on some levels it is. While there’s a measure of chaos in anyone’s life at times, chaos can also paint a picture of what we’re feeling and experiencing within – in our heart and mind.
E. Stanley Jones made an interesting observation when he wrote: “If you don’t surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos.” For me, and I suspect for you, the greatest arena in my life for chaos is my mind. What we think about comes about, so, when our mind is filled with chaotic thoughts and considerations, they’re most likely going to work themselves out in our behavior and interactions with others.
Anger is often an instigator of chaos, at least it has been for me. Depression is often seen as anger turned inward. We blame ourselves for the people in our lives who reject us; for our poor performance at work; or our inability to make and keep long-term friends.
“Why don’t people like me?” soon can become: “I’m just a bad person!” And yes, of course, this is an oversimplification to make a point, which is, at least as I understand it as a child of God – order in our life, lifestyle, and interactions with others, grows out of knowing who we are and why we’re alive. Knowing Jesus gives our lives meaning and purpose.
Many people find their purpose in their family, their work, their hobbies, and in many other things, but ultimately, to find cohesiveness in our heart, mind, and soul, we need to commit our lives and ways to Jesus. He is the integrator of my life and the One who orients every dimension of who I am to enable me to be productive in positive and meaning-filled ways.
He is our Refuge in whom we can find strength in times of trouble; our Fortress in whom we can hide when life becomes overbearing. But He’s also our best Friend in whom we can confide, with whom we can face the challenges of life, and find our way through them.
Honestly, being a Jesus follower doesn’t eliminate chaos, as well it shouldn’t. Troubles are often the pathways to potential, to fulfillment, to learning that can be attained in no other way. Chaos can be our friend in opening opportunities for improvement in many areas of our lives – in how we order our lives, how we work, how we play, but most importantly how we love – others and even the Lord.
So, it boils down to not an issue of order OR chaos, but living in a world with order AND chaos.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 