The world is a real mess. We are dealing with a deadly pandemic that’s killing people fast. That pandemic has required mitigation methods that have severely affected our economy. Specifically, the unemployment rate has increased sharply as businesses have closed or shut down. There’s also a pandemic of systemic racism. People worldwide saw the same ole racism demon that had plagued America for centuries when former police officer Derek Chauvin needlessly choked George Floyd to death. Weeks long protest ensued.
Chaotic is the best descriptive for our world right now. However, Christ has an answer to the chaos. A more salient way of expressing this statement is Christ is the answer to the confusion. There are five things Christ followers can do to stay calm during the chaos.
Stay in the Word of God
The Word of God provides hope, direction, strength, and much more. It’s food for believers. We can’t spiritually survive if we fail to consume it regularly. It’s especially needful in these chaotic days. Find a regular time each day to consume the Word of God. It’s as simple as reading a chapter or a few chapters from the Bible daily. You’ll be amazed at how it will boost you spiritually. It’s the perfect antidote to the chaos.
Stay in prayer
In Matthew 6:6, Jesus instructed us to pray secretly to the Father, and He will reward us openly. That’s because prayer is our opportunity to speak personally with the Lord about anything. Like human parents, our Father wants nothing more than spending regular time with His children through prayer. It’s also a time to quieten down to hear what He desires to speak back. The Lord may nudge us in some direction, give us insight into some life issues, or remind us of a Scripture. He always has the Holy Spirit to say the perfect thing to thwart the chaos.
Stay mentally focused on Christ
God promises in Isaiah 26:3 to keep us in perfect peace if we trust and keep our thoughts and imaginations fixed on Him! What a beautiful promise. We can maintain perfect peace by trusting and thinking about the Lord all the time. No matter the chaos in the world, God will keep us in PERFECT peace. Perfect peace is the Hebrew word shalom. It means completeness, safety, intactness, favor and prosperity. Someone defined shalom as having nothing missing or broken. I would add, if something is missing or broken, you’ll still have peace.
Stay in faith
Paul instructs believers to walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7. Faith and sight are always diametrically opposing one another. Here’s why? Faith is possessing a deep conviction in the heart that God’s Words must always be right because of His inability to be wrong. In comparison, sight consists of what we see and all that we receive through our five natural senses. So, Paul here is merely saying choose to believe the Word of God despite what you see, smell, feel, taste, or hear unless it’s the Word of God. Stay stuck on God’s infallible and unchanging Word.
Stay around other positive believers
People’s ways and words can influence us. We learn from the company we keep. It’s the reason Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “so stop fooling yourselves! Evil companions will corrupt good morals and character.” With their words and behavior, the company you keep can spoil all the time and toil you invested in prayer and the Word of God. However, you don’t have to be concerned with your friends’ bad influences if you chose some who are as diligent and dedicated as you spiritually.
Conclusion
These five tips will help you stay encouraged and optimistic in these chaotic days. While others are worried and fearful, you will be full of peace, faith, and victory. Others will wonder how are you doing it with everything going on? Then you can reveal to them what your secrets are and point them to Christ. We have tools the world doesn’t have that equips us for victory if we use them. I encourage you to use them today if you have not already started.
