Chaos, Confusion, and Change

Evil abounds, and the world is in chaos. Just watch/read the news to know this is true if you’re not experiencing it in your own life.

Confusion defines our culture. Just look at our young people and in our schools, though no one really escapes being confused.

Change is inevitable. Relationships, careers, economies, governments, our planet, even our own bodies are constantly changing. Everything and everyone is always changing, for good and for bad.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” (Matthew 24:6)

Chaos, confusion, and change are inevitable in this world. In light of this, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Are you able to handle life’s demands?
  • Are you able to handle the twists and turns of life without being thrown off balance?
  • Are you able to adapt while staying calm in the chaos, confusion, and change?

To handle life’s demands and its twists and turns, we need to find a way to stay calm in the chaos of life this side of heaven. If we’re to be adaptable within the chaos, confusion, and change of this world, not succumbing to it but holding firm and growing in spite of it, we must learn to doggedly seek simplicity.

Seek Simplicity

Biblical Simplicity points us toward a counter-cultural way of thinking about our words, possessions, money, focus, promises, actions, responses, and hope.

“For our boast is in the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.” (2 Corinthians 1:12)

“This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business, and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live; and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Living a simple life as directed by God, our attitudes, actions, and words must be such that we won’t regularly add chaos and confusion to our own lives or the lives of others. Instead, simplicity will help us live:

  1. Pleasing to God
  2. Lifegiving to ourselves
  3. Available to others

Simplicity is a lifelong journey that looks different for everyone but that is worth pursuing for anyone. We can use these three goals of simplicity to gauge its evolving existence in our lives. Simplicity allows us to better handle life’s demands and its twists and turns without being thrown off balance. A simple life makes us better able to adapt to life’s inevitable struggles.