The Only Way Forward Is Back by Jackson TerKeurstනියැදිය

GOD IN THE CHAOS

I was seven years old when rebel soldiers raided my village in Liberia. My aunt and I escaped to the jungle, where we lived for months. I feared for my soul every second. I panicked anytime I heard the slightest sound of a limb falling from a tree or the footsteps of an animal, fearing the noise signaled a rebel soldier’s arrival. I trained myself not to cough, sneeze, or even think about crying. My muscles memorized how to remain still. Auntie Kemah and I barely talked above a whisper.

I began to live by three important rules:

1. Keep your ears sharp.

2. Leave your eyes wide open.

3. Stay quiet.

You may not be in the midst of a war or a jungle as you read this, but can you identify with those self-made rules? Living silent in life’s chaos, terrified of what might come, is exactly where Satan wants us to be. Like a master magician, Satan uses chaos to manipulate our attention. John 8:44 refers to him as “the father of lies.” We become so bought into his scheme that we don’t notice his tricks. Now you see it. Now you don’t. Chaos distracts us, while the devil destroys.

But if these early memories taught me anything, it’s that God is working amid and against chaos. First John 3:8 tells us, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” In other words, while the Devil is trying to destroy us, God is destroying him. No matter what is happening in your life today, you can hold onto this truth.

One powerful remedy for chaos is community. Being with people puts back together what has been broken. But even when we can’t count on others, we have a God who promises to never leave (Deuteronomy 31:8).

In the middle of the war, when I zeroed in on the chaos, I lost sight of God. Now I see how God used chaos and loss to start a new chapter in my life. I realized that He had been there all along. This is true in your life as well, no matter what battles you are facing.

God, help me to let go of the rules I’ve made that keep in the chaos and fear. Help me to have eyes to see Your presence with me. Amen.