A thought ‘that seemed like an urgent whisper bored itself into my mind last week. “Get ready for chaos.”
Great.
Some people thrive on chaos. The more, the better. They feel it makes their lives exciting.
I’m not one of those people. I thrive on order and routine.
Some people like roller coasters. I like merry-go-rounds.
Chaos did indeed break loose. There were no emergencies or anything spectacular like that. It was just unevenly paced, sometimes unexpected busyness: guests in and out, unwelcome hassles, mishaps, people not doing what they said they’d do, and sudden problems. Some of it had to do with preparations for our move to Kenya. Others were just harbingers that everyday life is getting faster-paced, more chaotic, and full of hassle. Even finding a quiet, uninterrupted hour to write this blog post was a struggle!
Jesus told His disciples: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
I always thought of that as persecution. Who knew it would include cybersecurity problems, customer service hassle, bureaucratic red tape, ball-dropping, complexities in the digital world, and the like?
The Greek word for “tribulation” used in that verse is “thlipsis.” It means, among others, distress and affliction. Its root word is “thlipso,” which means pressure. Most likely, Jesus implied they would suffer persecution, but I often think of this text when I deal with the hassles of living in today’s fast-paced, complex, and rapidly changing world.
The apostle Paul put it this way: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). Pushed and perplexed are right next to persecuted and struck down (vs. 9). For people like us who did not grow up with technology, internet, social media, and cloud-based computing, “perplexed” is a constant state of mind!
I believe hassle and chaos are not far removed from persecution, affliction, and being struck down because they are a part of today’s world that Satan uses to trip us up and keep us chasing our tails to the point that it threatens the peace God has intended for us – the eye of the storm in which we communicate with Him.
We can’t insulate ourselves against chaos. That would mean locking ourselves up in retreat centers or monasteries, away from the world and its chaos. But that is not God’s purpose for us. He does not want us to flee the storms. He wants us to find calm in the midst of it while Satan tries to unnerve and distract us with it.
The gospel of Mark describes an event that typifies chaotic circumstances:
A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:37-40)
Perhaps they were reminded of that when Jesus warned them of the trouble to come once He had left this earth. His warning comes with the key to finding calm: In me, you have peace, and I’m stronger than the world’s chaos (my paraphrase of John 16:33).
In True Identity Ministries, we live by a motto: “Everything by prayer.” Prayer unlocks the peace that transcends all understanding (see Philippians 4:6-7). It involves the hand, the provision, and the wisdom of God in every adversity and every problem. He does not spare us the chaos – He meets us in the midst of it and invites us to let Him work on our behalf.
Anxiety over chaos comes from the fear that it will overwhelm us and that we won’t have the resources to deal with it. Peace comes from the knowledge that God is there to help us. That knowledge in itself is not enough to provide lasting calm – activating it by prayer and experiencing God’s care and help does.
As our to-do list for moving to Kenya grew rapidly, God whispered to not be afraid to involve Him in the details. Too many details cause chaos. He longs to help us with them: divine connections with people who can help us, divine wisdom to make smart decisions, divine energy to power through fatigue, divine provision for financial needs, divine discernment to ask the right questions, and divine protection from discouragement and doubt of our calling. We purposely, intentionally, lean on Him in all things so He gets the glory when we testify about this adventure.
The benefit of divine leaning? Calm in the chaos. The disciples did not try to solve the problems the storm caused themselves—they went to Jesus. Habitually going to Jesus through prayer stills the wind and the waves in our lives and strengthens our faith.
The choice to do so is ours: Do we rely on our own resourcefulness so we can be proud of what we did for the Lord? Or do we go to Him to seek calm in the chaos so He can have the glory for what He did in us and for us?
Are you experiencing chaos of some kind? In Christ, you will find peace. You just have to go to Him to unlock all His benefits.