If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you have experienced, or will soon experience, the blessings of chaos (aka, tribulation, trial, affliction, persecution, etc.). Furthermore, I can assure you, there is more on the way. This is not a bad thing. How do I know this? God’s prescription for the maturation of His children is found in 2Corinthians 3:18.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
“Being transformed” is a chaotic experience. The Greek word – metamorphoō – gives us a perfect word picture. Being changed into another form must be quite a chaotic process for the caterpillar; much more so, for the once rebellious human being to be transformed into the image of the glory of the Lord. Yes, chaos is intended for our ultimate good.
God uses the chaos in our lives in a very intentional way. Considering the chaos that is going on around us in these unsettling days, it is easy to imagine that God is up to something dramatic and glorious. We owe it to ourselves, and those in our spheres of influence, to do what we can that the chaos is not wasted. As I heard someone say, “You cannot avoid the pain, so you might as well make the most of it.”
The best way to make the most of the chaos in our lives is to find the will of God in it. Read that again. Do you believe it? If so, then reckon it for yourself (part of the transformation process). If not, then ask your Father in heaven for the word you need; that faith may arise in your chaotic circumstance.
Take some time to write down anything else God reveals to you about your chaos. A simple statement like, “God’s will is in this chaos”, will strengthen and encourage you tremendously in the days ahead. Again, write these things down, so you can reference them later.
God Purposes
If God’s will is in the chaos, then we can safely assume that He has a purpose for allowing it. This, in itself, is a comfort and encouragement. More so, it is also the way we find the center of His will – the place where we profit the most from the chaos in our lives.
God’s eternal purposes are the keys to our profit; pursue these and you will find the center of His will. His eternal purposes are the restoration of the loss He suffered in the Garden of Eden, when mankind rebelled. There, He lost three things:
- His reign over His subjects.
- His intimacy with His children.
- His habitation in His people.
Joining God in the restoration of His reign, intimacy and habitation will serve as a spiritual triangulation to the center of His will for your chaotic situation.
God uses chaos to help us surrender to His reign. Through it, we discover that we are not as much in control as we thought. We are challenged to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow after Jesus Christ. After all, how else are we going to make it through? We are encouraged to give up on our own strength, for His.
Chaos has a way of turning our heart toward the Lord. We pray more, because we are desperate to know what is going on; and what He is up to. God teaches us to be honest with Him about our fears and anxieties. He provides peace beyond understanding, to guard our hearts and minds. He develops in us the desire for continued intimacy.
God’s habitation in His people is a corporate matter. Chaos pulls us together; that He might more fully dwell in us individually, through our love, support and service of one another. Our Father in heaven honors His Son’s prayer for unity by making us one, as He and His Son are one.
The application of this is really very simple: When chaos comes, pursue surrender, prayer and fellowship, all with the children of God that He has brought into your life. In fact, why wait? Why not pursue the desires of your Heavenly Father before the next wave of chaos? Indeed, you will find it most beneficial!
Click here for more on the purposes of God; or visit The Map Maker website for resources that will help you find joyful, Spirit-filled ministry in all your kingdom adventures.
Humbly your and forever His,
