God is not a God of Chaos

I read this verse the other day, and it totally jumped out at me and smacked me in the face!!  I sometimes wonder why I do not pick up on this stuff quicker, because it would have saved me a ton of grief over the past few years!  I know that there are a lot of you out there who are probably wondering, “why is my life so crazy right now??”  I don’t think we will ever know, but here’s an idea.

James 3:16-18

16. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and all sorts of evil and vile practices. 

17. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure; then it is peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

18. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

I find that there are two things here that cause chaos in our lives, it is either our own choices or other people’s influence.  When I think of my own choices, I immediately think of my time being a Chaplain Candidate.  There was a lot of confusion the entire time, and it appeared a lot of different ways.  Due to selfish ambition (wanting a job and trying to do it on my own power), I overlooked the fact that the process was chaotic and tried to plow through it.  I had good intentions, but ultimately I was trying to will my way into something that God did not want me in.  The way it came to an end was evidence of God’s hand ending the chaos (I can talk about it off record, but not on here), and I found that I have had peace once I understood that.

When I think about some of the other situations in my life, I can think about friendships and other situations that I had that were not healthy.  Whether it was jealousy or selfish ambition, I found that the stress that they brought into my life was disorienting.  It took my focus off of God, and instead I was trying to fix the problems rather than seek God.  Hurt people who hurt people do not realize what they do, they just do it because they have to.  Just like a bull that has no remorse for destroying the china shop, a self-centered person does not care who they hurt because it is stopping them from getting their object of desire.  Inevitably, they blame the person for getting in their way and blame them for making them destroy everything rather than examining themselves and being honest about the destruction they left behind.  This is why I must flee from jealousy and selfish ambition, because the results are never good and I do not want to harm people in my life.

In contrast, we see what wisdom provides. 

It is pure: think about what it feels like to have cold water on a hot day.  Nothing quenches your thirst more, and the wise person quenches your soul because they seek to give Godly counsel. 

It is peace loving:  the wise despise strife, but engage it to put the fire out.  They seek a life of harmony, and do what the must to protect it. 

It is gentle: By no means does the wise person want to harm those around them.

It is reasonable:  the wise person seeks understanding others and understanding situations rather than stereotyping or jumping to conclusions. 

It is full of mercy: Though the wise are careful with their hearts, they are quick to forgive others so that they are not burdened by un-forgiveness.

It is full of good fruits: the words and actions they produce are healthy and nourishing to those around them. 

It is unwavering:  They are stable and consistent in people’s lives.  Their yes is yes and their no is no, and they are dependable.

It is without hypocrisy:  Those who are wise seek God’s perspective and do not stray from it.  They are not double minded and do not live a life that they themselves would not condone.

When I look at the life of the wise person, it is much more appealing to me.  This is why I seek that life.  I do not always add up, but it is a process and I am doing my best.  In the past month, God has cleansed me of a few things that brought chaos to my life, it sort of felt like detoxing letting go of those things and it has been rough, but at the same time I am finding that it is creating discipline in me and giving me a fresh start.  Like salt in the wounds, it stings, but I know it is for a good reason.  I am not afraid of leaving behind some of those things that God took from me, but instead I am looking forward to what God will give me. 

It is much easier now that I can see the picture coming into focus, but I want to encourage you to ask for God’s perspective when confronted with disorder.  During the time it is hard to see the big picture, but keep seeking God for it!  Most of all, remember, our God is not a God of chaos.  Yes, you will see tough times, but God will not disorient you.  That is not his way.  So as you go forward, be encouraged and seek wisdom, because it is much better than the alternative!