Our Constant in the Chaos

I smiled knowingly as I read a friend’s Facebook status recently. I’ve changed the names but this is how it read:

“Needs a break from the chaos, aka my life…Husband missing in action, Cindy chasing dog around and around in circles, then dog chasing Cindy, Jan acting like she has never had a friend over in her life, Marcia texting how she isn’t getting enough time with Matt (awww, young love) and then there is me watching it all happen in slow mo…I am exhausted.”

Each of our lives tends to ebb and flow through seasons and degrees of chaos. Some days it’s easier to smile through it than others. Sometimes the chaos is largely external, other times it’s a chaos of the soul that leaves a feeling like life is falling apart at the seams. Having a child with severe disabilities has certainly brought external chaos into my life but I’m grateful for what it is teaching me about how to experience internal rest.

Chaos can have one of two effects on us. It can draw us deeper into our understanding of God and our relationship with Him or it can distract us from exploring the truth about who God is. Any response but drawing nearer to God will ultimately have the affect of increasing and perpetuating the chaos.

We tend to live on a treadmill of effort trying to discover the latest and greatest tips, tools and techniques that will help us. We try to learn better parenting methods, explore tips for better cooking or household management, seek out marriage strengthening techniques, study money management strategies, and develop new career skills. While there are many good resources available, we are prone to becoming overwhelmed and distracted in the details trying to keep up, buck up, and measure up.

I don’t believe that God intends for us to get caught up in learning a myriad of tips and techniques. The Bible keeps pointing us back to core principles and shows us that by living according to certain basics, we will thrive because the Holy Spirit empowers us!

REST IN GOD’S NEARNESS— Psalm 139 reminds us that there is nowhere we can go to get away from God’s Spirit (Psalm 139:7-10) and He will fill us with joy in His presence (Psalm 16:11). God promises that if we draw near to Him, he will draw near to us (James 4:8). He is our ever-present help (Psalm 46:1)!

REST IN GOD’S FAITHFULNESS — Throughout the Bible we find encouragement that God responds favorably to our trust in Him. For example, when the Israelites stepped into the Jordan River in obedience to God’s prompting, He piled the flood-stage waters into a heap and made a way for millions of people to cross over to the Promised Land. Even when sin has brought chaos that seems un-calmable, God is faithful and just to bring cleansing, healing and freedom when it is confessed (1 John 1:9 and James 5:16).

REST IN GOD’S SUFFICIENCY — Despite our best efforts to do enough, be good enough, afford enough and say the right things, God alone holds the power to equip us and make us fruitful (2 Corinthians 3:4-5). God alone is able to fill us (John 7:37-38, Ephesians 1:22-23) and to make more of things than we ever can (Ephesians 3:20-21).

REST IN GOD’S PERSPECTIVE — All of our circumstances, relationships, and attitudes take on a different meaning when viewed through the perspective of an all-knowing and all-powerful God who always has a bigger picture in mind (Colossians 3:1-4 and Romans 8:18). Christ himself endured the cross because He trusted that there was something much bigger than His own comfort at stake (Hebrews 12:2-3).

If we truly make it a priority to seek the Living God FIRST and embrace the truths of God’s nearness, faithfulness, sufficiency and perspective, we will experience a kind of “rest” in life that goes far beyond comprehension and this world’s understanding of rest. God will bear in us the fruit of a thriving life and a restful soul.

Reprinted with permission from the women’s retreat titled Our Constant in the Chaos by Lisa Jamieson, author of Finding Glory in the Thorns and Executive Director of Walk Right In Ministries. Copyright © 2009 Lisa Jamieson. All rights reserved.

Making Much Out of A Little

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, (Jesus) gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14:17-21

How many of us are trying to make a little bit go a longer way? Since Larry was laid off last September, our household budget has been tremendously stretched. Because of our daughter’s sleep disorder, we even go to bed at night asking God to make the little bit of sleep we get ENOUGH. We are far from alone. This is an economy and culture desperately entrenched in trying to make enough out of a little.

People everywhere are trying to make their money do more or trying to get the most of the little bit of time and energy they have. We want our wardrobes to flatter us making us look more attractive or thinner than we really feel. We want more patience with our kids but it runs thin. We long for more satisfying marriages when so many are holding on by threads.

I was recently reading in second Kings and noticed something that impressed me.

"For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, ‘Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us.’" 2 Kings 7:6

Guess what? The Syrians thought they were hearing the sounds of two entire armies. It was really just four men with leprosy. God did that. The Syrians were so afraid that they fled immediately leaving their tents and horses behind and the whole road strewn with clothing and equipment. Imagine their shock if they ever found out that only four leprous men were sitting in their tents enjoying food and wine then making off with their silver, gold and clothing!

This was not the first or the last time God made something huge out of something insignificant. This is God’s business — creating the universe from nothing, making feasts for thousands out of scraps, making the sound of eight footsteps sound like the horses of two armies, bringing beauty out of ashes.

What are you facing today that feels insufficient or unfixable?

What dream is burning on your heart but seems unattainable?

Please join with me in remembering God is more than able.

Help me to remember, Lord, that if you are answering my prayers with “no” or “wait,” it is not because you are unable to respond. It is because you have perspective that extends to eternity. Unlike me, you know all things necessary to understand what will truly be best. I know You want me to keep asking but help me to trust You for big and unexpected results. Show me how to walk boldly but patiently in that trust. Help me to follow Your promptings as I set courageous goals and dream big dreams but help me to hold them loosely trusting that you can and will do even more than I ask or imagine — truly BIG things — they might just look differently than I expected. AMEN

They Inquired of the Lord

I’m on Day 53 in a 90-day Bible reading plan and the process continues to fascinate me. Reading so quickly allows me to see certain details, make interesting connections, and recognize themes while things are fresh in my mind. Here are some examples that are re-inspiring me to be direct and specific with questions of God.

King David asked God for specific direction and God answered.

2 Samuel 2:1 "Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”"

King Solomon asked God for wisdom and it pleased God.

1 Kings 3:9-10 "Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? "It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this."

Before Queen Esther stepped out in a risky act of faith, she inquired of the Lord and asked her kinsmen to stand with her in prayer for God's favor.

Esther 4:16 "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."

In contrast, King Asa sought professional help while ignoring God.

2 Chronicles 16:12 "In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians."

The other day, Larry and I were muddling through a handful of decisions we were generally prayerful about but had not stopped to inquire of the Lord in a very specific way. In the midst of our discussion, we finally stopped to ask a very targeted, “Should we do this or that, God?” We didn’t hear an audible answer but a solution and direction did become clear within just a couple of minutes after that prayer.

Coincidence? NO WAY!

Lord, we are both challenged and inspired by these accounts from the Bible. We want to be people who don’t hesitate to inquire of You at every crossroads. We want to be people who walk so intimately with You that we recognize Your “voice” and promptings — not just in the big issues but also in the moment-by-moment details of our lives. We want to effectively use the resources You have placed around us without becoming so distracted by them that we forget about going to the One who gave those good gifts in the first place. Help us, Lord! AMEN