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Chaos can be defined as anything. It encompasses so many situations that we can face. From heartache, to the loss of a job, to family/friend fights, to unexpected downfalls and disappointments, there are so many things that when piled on top of each other can create this atmosphere of chaos in our lives. So how do we overcome it?
Here’s how:
Have an understanding that joy can come and go
In Heaven, our joy will be more than overfilled and there will be no sadness even able to be uttered. But here on this earth we have times of ebbs and flows, up and downs, while we face different obstacles. The beauty of this chaotic life is that the Lord is right there with us through it. It gives us a certain connection to Him that we wouldn’t normally have unless we were facing a challenge.
I was listening to a student recently and she said, “well, sometimes i’m not always happy.” My coteacher’s response was, “and that’s okay”, because it is. There will be days of immense joy and fulfillment and other days where happiness doesn’t exuberate from us as usual.
Even today as I write this, I have a level of chaos going on in my life. Some that just started this morning. But I have a choice in this mess, to meet with God there. I have a choice to show up to Jesus bearing my cross and asking Him to help me through what He’s already been through. I have a choice to cast these problems on Him and allow Him to comfort me through them like no one else can. He can heal. He can redeem. And He is the only one who can bring real joy.
So if you are in the middle of chaos here is what you can do:
Identify what you are going through
Call your problems out by name and put words to your chaos so that they can be identified
Pray about it
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray through what you are feeling and going through in case you don’t have the words to know exactly what to pray. This takes vulnerability and an openness with the Lord, knowing that He has your best interest at heart and it’s okay to speak freely with Him without fearing judgment
Ask for what you need
To an extent, we all know a solution to our problems, but God’s solution is often different from ours. For example, if you feel as if your home life is crazy and you’re tired of all of the tension and arguments, your solution might be to move out or to stay away from home as much as possible. The Lord’s answer might be that you need peace. If He gives you peace, then no matter what is going on in your household you will still be able to rest and not be easily moved by what you see or hear. Being able to have peace in the midst of a chaotic household produces so many more fruits in our lives then we even imagine.
God’s plan is to take your awful situations and milk them out the best He can, leaving you and others with something to drink from after it’s all said and done. Because if you’re going to come out of a mess, you might as well come out on top! He wants to take the chaos, give you joy in the middle of it, and change it to your greatest benefit so that even if something close to what you are going through now tries to come your way again, you are not even fazed by it!
So take joy in knowing that God is right there with you, in the middle of what seems to be an unfixable mess. Remember that He is squeezing that situation like a lemon to produce the liquid (goodness) that needs to come from it. All so that your troubles and chaos are not in vain.
“My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance. And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.” -James 1:2-4
I want you to face your chaos this year, call it out by name, and begin to pray on it so that you can fully overcome in the name of Jesus.
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