{{item.title | uppercase}}

Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
Psalm 4:3 (NIV)

In the beginning…

For months, actually years, I lived in the chaos. The chaos of not knowing what to do or how to do it. Overwhelmed with the responsibilities and the soul-crushing agony of dealing with court cases, paperwork, decision-making, and grieving. Trying desperately to pick up and move forward when all I wanted to do was crawl back into my husband’s arms again.

Talking to a new widow this week, I vividly remembered the first year of widowhood. Every detail of letting go and moving forward without him. Fortunately, that is only a part of the story.

God’s faithfulness

Not only did I remember the painful details, but God began bringing to mind all of the ways He was with us and how He provided absolutely everything I needed. From the perfectly timed texts from family and friends to the clarity of mind when I had to testify in court, God was there. When the Holy Spirit prompted me to meet with the man who killed my husband to tell him he was forgiven, God was there. And when I signed the papers to have my husband’s body cremated, and I couldn’t breathe, again God was there.

And in all these circumstances, people around me witnessed God’s faithfulness. They saw how He provided for me. And how He guided and protected me. His great love was on display in my life, time and time again. And because they saw His faithfulness, their faith grew.

God redeems and restores

Recently, I have been spending time studying the Minor Prophets. It’s hard to miss the theme. The people mess up repeatedly, and in the end, God always responds with grace and redeems His people. His love is greater than we can imagine. We mess up all the time! I remember how shocked I was as I walked through my grief, how much ugliness in my heart was revealed. The ugliness of envy when I saw couples together, the ugliness of being judgmental when people said or did what I considered the “wrong thing”. The ugliness of thinking it was all unfair. Often, you hear people say, “Life’s not fair.” Life might not feel fair in the moment, but God is sovereign, just, and good all of the time.

Living above the chaos

In Zechariah, I spent time meditating on the day the Lord will return. Zechariah 14:9 (NIV) tells us,

“And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day, the LORD will be one and his name one.”

Oh, what a day that will be. But until then, I want to live above the chaos. Meditating on Zechariah reminded me that my focus needs to be on being obedient. If I’m being obedient, then – and only then – can I fully abide in Christ, above the chaos. Resting in the peace He has given us. It doesn’t matter what circumstances we are in; it matters who we are walking with.

In John 14:27 (NIV), He tells us:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

There was no asterisk with that verse. It doesn’t say except when…you are sick, or poor, or become a widow. His peace is always available to us, just as He is always available to us. Living in obedience is the key to experiencing the peace that comes from abiding in His presence, which enables us to live above the chaos.

It’s not just for us…

He is our greatest gift! And He is a gift meant to be shared. When we choose things other than being obedient to Him, we take away from others. When we decide to do things our way, instead of allowing Him to direct our steps, we rob others of seeing Him in action. We deprive them of seeing and experiencing His love tangibly. There is so much at stake! His Kingdom is meant to reign here on earth. He is waiting to return until we are ready to receive Him. I hate watching so many people suffer.

Set apart

We have been set apart for God. It is such an incredible blessing. But we lose focus, get distracted, and try to fit into this world. Each time we do that, it’s like turning down the wrong way on a one-way street. It doesn’t end well. Instead, we need to ask for directions by calling out to the Lord. He hears us when we call. We are His. His plan is that we will live above the chaos in His peace, with Him.

Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for Your presence! Help us to call out to You, to be obedient in all things, for Your purposes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.