“… I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose…. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it’” (Isaiah 46:9-11, ESV).
It’s easy to forget that God is in charge, especially when His will and ours do not align. It’s easy to dismiss God, or even doubt His existence, when we experience a chaotic world around us, or witness horrific pain and loss that seems to be without purpose.
But perhaps that is our problem: we only want easy. We live in a fast-paced world that can’t be bothered with the hard work of faith. We scan the surface, unwilling to take the deep dive of trusting God with our world, or even our lives.
Sometimes I think we believe that God is like the Claw Machine at the arcade—the one with stuffed animals and other toys and trinkets. We fix our eyes on a particular item and guide the Claw with the joystick of our prayers; and when the Claw drops and slowly rises empty we lose more of what little faith we have.
We evaluate the existence of God based on the success rate of our prayers. We take away ten points when His will contradicts ours, and give Him one point when we, by chance, agree.
It’s remarkable to me that we (and yes, I include myself!) so easily miss the fact that we are NOT God. We (Christians) blindly choose to live our lives under the delusion that they are our lives, and that opens the door to a world full of anxiety. We choose the anxiety, as though worry can change circumstances that are beyond our control.
But the truth is, they are not our lives anymore!
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV italics mine).
Do you grasp how liberating that is? We don’t have to be incapacitated with fear. The state of affairs is not our concern. We are called to serve the Lord. If He’s not worried, then we should not be worried!
We have traded our burdens for Jesus’ yoke.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Matthew 11:29 (ESV).
While it is true that our world is becoming increasingly chaotic, and in some cases the chaos directly affects our lives, God has got this! He is on the throne. We can trust that He knows what He is doing. We need only keep our eyes on Jesus and let His peace fill us to overflowing. That is how we will reach a troubled world.
As always, these are the musings of a mindful disciple. Blessings on your week! Like, share, and leave a comment about how God has given you peace in these chaotic times.
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Skipping Stones 
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