God over Confusion

Sometimes, very few things in life seem to make sense.

Deaths of infants, random acts of violence, racism, justice officials that turn a blind eye to injustice, the complaints of people who don’t vote, leaders who sacrifice their people for money. The list of confusing and seemingly overwhelming events in life can seem endless.

There are life moments that seem to run in opposition to logic and common sense, leaving the masses to wonder how these things could happen in our day and age. While living in confusing times may feel uncomfortable, the reassuring truth is that even when life situations don’t make sense, God is still God. And because He is still God, there is still hope and there is still a plan.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The God who fulfills His promises and backs His word with the power of His great name, is well acquainted with times of turmoil and chaos. He is accustomed to what seems to be the unraveling of all things, and He is equipped to handle each and every situation. He has proven this truth from the very beginning.

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)

Throughout Scripture, we repeatedly see God’s ability to bring order and make sense of the senseless.

In John 18:12 Jesus is being arrested on false charges. The disciples begin to scramble. Only Jesus remains calm. In an attempt to defend Jesus, a fight breaks out and a servant is harmed.

The One who has the words of life, quickly rebukes His disciple and displays His compassionate heart, unoffended nature, and His power, as He heals the servant’s ear. In the middle of being arrested and on His way to the cross, only Jesus remains calm, because He knows who is in control and rests in the One who is leading and guiding His life. Even when the seemingly most undesirable scenario has become His reality—the pathway His Father has chosen is costly and extravagant—Jesus sets His face like flint and steps forward into His calling with clarity and soberness, choosing to bring freedom to all and forever change history and the destiny of every human being.

When things are in disarray, the Lord calmly and capably brings order, overhauling, correcting, fine tuning, making all things new. When there seem to be no answers, and many are scrambling toward momentary and faulty solutions, Jesus remains undeterred.

This is why the Bible does not shy away from instructing us to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Even when there is turmoil, His leadership, plan, power, and authority have already guaranteed believers overwhelming victory and success in every endeavor we will face. There is absolutely no reason to worry, fear, fret, or feel overwhelmed.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3, ESV)

Instead of giving into the confusion and chaos of our times, we can lift our hands and praise our God who sacrificed and served until the end. Even in His resurrection He denied Himself, choosing what was better for us, saying to His disciples, “it’s better for you if I go away.”

When we reflect on God’s faithfulness, our Lord’s kindness, and His desire to serve and lead us into all truth, we can more easily magnify the God who gives us beauty when all we bring Him are ashes. We get to enter into that great exchange in the midst of our day-to-day, setting aside the problems clamoring for our attention in order to give our time and focus to the One whose ways are higher than our ways, who knows the way to peace because His our Way and our Peace.

A bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:3)

We see this so clearly in the history of Israel. Stuck in the middle of an impending onslaught by three different armies, God’s people don’t strategize battle plans, review their cache of weapons, or prep for negotiations. Instead they turn to the God of Israel, they seek the Lord of Heaven’s armies for His solution.

Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said:

“O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.'” (2 Chronicles 20:2–9)

When the Israelites find themselves in a situation that could end in their demise, they turn to the God of all Hope, the One who rules over all, to receive instruction. They worship from a place of trust, confident in God’s ability and care, refusing worry and desperation.

“And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them—here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:10–12)

And the Lord responds.

“‘Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:15–17)

In response to the Lord, His people take their natural position.

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high. (2 Chronicles 20:18–19)

While the situation may have seemed insurmountable—and an easy win for the armies coming against the Israelites—in reality, it was an opportunity for the Lord to show forth His strength, to further His record of faithfulness, proving that He is constantly and continuously trustworthy.

And instead of an impending slaughter, the Israelites praised their way into another miraculous victory delivered by the hand of Almighty God.

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:20–21)

With praise on their lips, they moved toward the chaos marching toward them. They had sought the Lord and received His instruction, but everything looked the same. The armies were still coming to slaughter them. Instead of staying home, the Israelites still had to get up and prepare to face three strong armies. When the situation still looked impossible, they trusted the One leading them.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me. (Psalm 23:4)

When life doesn’t make sense, Our God prevails. When our day-to-day is filled with confusing scenarios that seem to have no answer, He remains steady. When nothing seems to have changed and an onslaught is fast-approaching, God stands ready to cause everything to work together for our good because we love Him and are called according to His purpose and He is faithful to His word.

Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.” (2 Chronicles 20:22–25)

The same God who triumphed over the confusion and chaos the Israelites faced is the One who holds you in the palm of His hands, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is faithful and He is in control, even when situations around us seem to declare the opposite. He is the One who continues to lead us in triumph and will prevail in every circumstance.