The Call of Confusion
Have you ever felt like you hit a dead end in a situation? Even after you thought things might have been going great? Maybe you’ve been stuck or confused and have asked yourself the question, “I thought I was going down the right path, so why did God allow for things to suddenly change on me?
Well, you’re not alone there. Those things have been a constant theme of my life this year, but I’ve learned a lot from it.
I’ve heard this phrase a lot before: “If you’re ever confused about something, walk away from it because God is not the God of confusion.” And yes, while that is true for some things, I’ve learned that phrase can be taken out of context in other situations if it’s not carefully studied.
2021 was one heck of a year for me, and I’m sure I’m not alone there. I’m not gonna lie, it wasn't easy and I wouldn’t choose to live it again. But because of those hard things, I’ve learned one of my most valuable lessons: what to do in times of confusion — when a clear path suddenly comes to a screeching, foggy hault.
I remember earlier this year when I was at a peak of confusion. I came across Job 16:12-17 that says: “I was living quietly until he shattered me. He took me by the neck and broke me in pieces. Then he set me up as a target, and now his archers surround me. His arrows pierce me without mercy. The ground is wet with my blood. Again and again he smashes against me, charging at me like a warrior. I wear burlap to show my grief. My pride lies in the dust. My eyes are red with weeping; dark shadows circle my eyes. Yet I have done nothing wrong, and my prayer is pure.”
Brutal, I know. But sometimes it’s truly how we feel in times of struggle. We feel that God set us up to fail. If you don’t know the story of Job, in a nutshell God allowed the devil to mess with him and ruin his life to prove that God’s people can remain faithful to Him, even in the worst possible circumstances. I noticed that Job seemed very confused here. His life was taking every turn for the worst when his life and relationship with God had been going great.
“But how can people today apply this?” I thought at first. “I’m not going through the same things Job did.”
But then I realized that although our situations were different, we were both confused as to why God allows certain things to happen. In the end, Job remained faithful to God, overcame all of the hardships, and God generously blessed him. He knew that Job would prove the devil wrong. Job learned that in the midst of confusion he should trust God’s wisdom, and I learned that we should also do the same. Even if it’s a lot easier said than done.
The day after I read that passage, I was driving with my mom down a busy street. She wanted to find a shortcut because of traffic. I knew a way through a neighborhood where a good friend of mine lives, so I told her I knew where to go. At first she was confused and skeptical about if I actually knew where we were going because it didn’t seem right to her. I remember telling her, “I promise this is the right way, just trust me.” When we made our way through, I said, “See, I told you I knew where we were going, you just had to trust me!”
As soon as I said that, I had a “Wow, God” moment. I realized that’s how God is with us, just like He was with Job. Whenever I’ve come across a situation in the past where I end up confused, I’ve always tried running away from it. I assumed that if I’m confused it’s not coming from God, therefore I should remove myself from the situation. And again, that’s true in some cases, but not everything. Thankfully, God knew my misjudgment in this particular situation and taught me that we can still seek God in the midst of confusion. It’s true that God isn’t the God of confusion, but it’s also important to remember that He’s the God over confusion. Because of that, I’ve learned through Job that sometimes He uses confusion for us to learn to ask for His guidance. God always knows the right way for each of us, even if it seems confusing at first.
So for 2022, my goal is to trust God’s wisdom more, and I hope this encouraged you to do the same. I can promise you from firsthand experience and Job’s experience that He will help you out of whatever confusion you’re enduring. If you have any questions, prayer requests, or anything else, my messages are always open. Happy New Year!