The world seems to be falling apart, drowning in a swirling eddy of chaos every time we lift our eyes. Hate crimes, torn families, acts of injustice that rock us to our knees, natural disasters, hunger, tragic loss… The list seems endless. We feel it here at home, and we feel it thousands of miles across the globe. At times, it can feel far too heavy, unbalanced, and atrocious to handle. In seasons of trial, we may wonder where is God when we’re hurting? The last thing we are worried about is finding joy in the midst of the chaos, yet through it all, Christ is there with us. He is seeking us, trying to win our hearts.
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How do we find joy in the midst of chaos? The journey to finding joy more often than not happens on a road paved with insurmountable difficulties. When life is challenging, we won’t naturally be joyful. It takes intention and choice to find the joy around us. We live in a culture where it’s so easy to chase everything we think will bring us joy, yet we have ceased in chasing the One who brings true joy. When Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go, when the country was overcome with plagues, when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, when God parted the Red Sea for their escape, and when they wandered in the desert for 40 years, they knew chaos. They also knew the God who was in the midst of their chaos; a God who never left them, even when they stopped chasing Him. Seasoned fishermen acted like babies when storms literally rocked their world, yet Jesus was there, in the midst. He was over the chaos, in control of it. What did He do? He showed His power, He brought them peace, He calmed the storm.
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Finding and producing joy is central to how we were created. We were made to enjoy, experience, and embrace this life. We were fashioned to live a life full of love and sacred abandon as we dance each moment with our Creator. By intentionally choosing joy, we are also leaning further into who God is. Every day, we get to explore new facets of His character, love, and faithfulness. Every day, we get to choose grief, or joy. Anxiety, or joy. Fear, or joy. Chaos, or joy. We get to choose if we stay a prisoner to our circumstances, or break free. When we choose joy, God is there, in the blissful and the hard moments.
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As you navigate the week ahead, ask yourself a few questions. Do you really trust that God has a plan, even when it doesn’t appear to align with your own? Do you trust God to sustain you in the midst of your chaos? Do you trust there is abundant joy ahead, even if you feel something was stolen from you? Take time to journal your thoughts and feelings. Find time to talk to God, whether it’s 5 minutes or 50 minutes. Read these scriptures (1 Corinthians 14:33a, James 1:1-2, Romans 12:12, Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 4:7, Psalm 46). Look around you this week for joy. Be intentional. And when you find it? Spread it. Share it. This world is in dire need of a joy and a hope that will conquer all of the chaos. God is using you as His vessel; His light bringer, His boat rocker, His cheerleader, even in the midst of chaos. The thing about chaos? It will make you think it’s winning. It’s loud, frustrating, destructive, and ugly. But remember this, mamas. Chaos never wins.
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“While it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who hasn’t surrendered authority.” – A. W. Tozer
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