For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. (1 Cor. 14:33)
I was writing a book and things were not going well. My ideas were all over the place, and I was struggling to land on a solid theme. I was reading books and documents, attempting to strike the perfect, cultivated message.
There was one problem: I hadn’t gotten quiet long enough to hear a word God was actually saying just to me. I was trying to hear him through the words of other authors and my own human ambition. My brain was completely cluttered—disordered, one might say. Have you been there?
In 1 Corinthians 14:33, we are told that “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” My mad scurrying for a message was not of God. It reminded me of other parts of life—the hustle of running a business, raising children, and checking all the “right” boxes.
When things begin to feel “disordered,” God is not behind the chaos. The hustled life is not part of the peace we are promised. Rather than rush through the book process, I decided to get quiet. I asked God to guide me in his peace, rather than continue in my own disorder. The process led me to a writing coach who helped refine and distill the message God had for me to write.
When things feel disordered, stop and consider how you can cultivate serenity.
Remember that God is the author of peace—he transcends any chaos life can bring.
Ericka Andersen Sylvester is a member of Waterline Church in Fishers (IN). She’s a wife and mom to two and enjoys writing, running, and podcasting.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
