Faith and Finding Inner Peace During Chaotic Times: Trusting in God’s Plan

As a Christian, how do you stay peaceful, faithful and still (in faith) when everything out of you is chaotic? How do you deal with all the fear of what is happening outside your doors? And how do you keep trusting even when what and whom you trusted the LORD for does not become of it? I know that finding inner peace can be a challenging task, especially during chaotic times. Faith weavers when we encounter the unexpected.

Life is continually becoming unstable and even internal peace is disturbed by what is happening miles away. Although it is a reminder of how connected we are as humans, it has all become overwhelming. And we continuously feel that we are drowning in our problems. However, as believers, we are called to trust in God’s plan for our lives and find solace in His promises. In this article, I will share some insights from the Bible on finding peace during chaos and how we can apply them to our lives today.

Understanding Chaos and Its Impact on Our Lives

It is true chaos is a part of life. It comes in the form of an unexpected illness, a financial crisis, or a relationship breakdown. Chaos can knock us off our feet, leaving us feeling helpless and overwhelmed. Recently, we have experienced even more, global, boundaryless chaos that has threatened and even taken a lot from us. We have lost homes, loved ones, peace and joy, land and even our humanity. However, as Christians, we are reminded that God is in control of all things, and nothing happens without His permission. In Romans 8:28, we read, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

We hurt. We are still hurting. But as you are reading this I need you to remember something; you are here NOW. With everything you went through, you are here, breathing. With the loss you had and the fearful thing you encountered you are here. Not the same, but more stronger and for that, I need you to believe, God is still in control and loved you. And with that, may you find comfort in knowing that even in the midst of chaos, God is with you. He has a plan for your life. We need to trust in His sovereignty and have faith that He will see us through the storm.

What does the Word remind us about Faith?

Paul writes to Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Moses reminded the Israelites that  “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” in Exodus 14:14 (NIV). And no matter how trapped we are with chaos and problems and even when there is no way, He, God will open doors and make a way where there has never been one. David wrote in Psalm 4:4 (NKJV) “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.”

There are situations in that you know deep down that something can and must be done, but nothing is done. We can become so angry when we know we legally deserve something like change and better policies from our institutions but sometimes anger is all we can express. Even then, sin should never be our portion. Psalm 37:7 (NIV) “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.”

This verse reminds us that we don’t have to carry our burdens alone. We can bring our worries to God in prayer and trust that He will provide us with peace that surpasses all understanding. Another verse that brings me comfort is found in John 14:27, “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.”

Jesus promises to leave us with His peace, which is unlike anything the world can offer. When we trust in Him, we can find rest for our souls, even in the midst of chaos.

A. Jesus Walking on Water

One of the most significant stories in the Bible about finding peace during chaos is found in Matthew 14:22-33. In this account, Jesus walks on water to meet His disciples, who are in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. The disciples were afraid, thinking that they were seeing a ghost. However, Jesus reassured them, saying, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Hearing this Peter, one of the disciples, asked Jesus to call him out onto the water, and Jesus did. While there is a lot going on with the world out there, God speaks to you, giving you something to work on. But with worry and caution, we wonder if things will work out. See, Peter obeyed the call (command) and an invitation to experience the mightiness of God’s power. He walked on the water. But he began to sink when he saw the waves and became afraid.

The same can be for us. Even with assurance and confirmation of God’s power and control in our lives (with a gift of life today), we still doubt if it was God who spoke. But just like in Peter’s story, may we always trust that God can not keep us alive for the next day (invitation to experience His love and Kingdom) just to let us be consumed in everything that’s going on other than Him. Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Jesus is reminding you and me today, why are we so easy to brush when He calls us to experience the love, peace, power and glory of His Kingdom even when there are waves around!? He is still in control. Keep your focus on and in Jesus. He is our focus, goal and director and above all our vision. Walk in His footsteps, direction and command and you’re safe.

However, when we take our eyes off Him and focus on our problems, we will sink.

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

– Jesus

B. Jesus Calming the Storm

Do we trust when we call? That Jesus, the King, mighty one, ONLY God hears, that He who died and resurrected can hear us? Do we trust when we call upon The name that He hears us? Are we aware and sure that when He hears he answers?

God taught me something days ago. I was talking to this friend of mine. Josh has a friend who is a crop trader. He goes to the interior parts of the country and buys crops at a fair price, transports and sells them in the big city.

With unregulated prices, you never know what can happen. And this was his case. He bought the corn from the village but before transporting them he hears that prices in the city have dropped. What to do? He transported them and sold them at a loss. With this, he was talking to a friend that he even prayed that God answers him and that when he reaches the city the price changes so he can make a profit from the sale.

What became of it?

But this isn’t what happened to him. He sold at a loss. He complained to a friend wondering and asking if God is still answering. Sharing this story, I wanted to be quick to answer but God gave me this answer. He answers, ALWAYS. And even when you thought He did not answer, He answered. He answers always. He might have not moved you but moved him or the one thing that needed to be moved for your answer. And what could be our answer always, Worship?

While he might have complained about the price and asked God about the price rise, the farmer might have been praying that someone buys the crop. Only farmers know the challenge of having unsold (unsaleable) food stock. With a trader, business is always up and down and with trust and faith in God, something always happens. But for a farmer, seasons are everything, you miss one, you are stuck.

God always answers. It might not be you but through your prayer, the answer moved something, and God’s will is glorified. No word turn empty to Him, never. So, when things don’t go right, pray and praise Him, your door is opening, your walls are torn down, your chains are broken, and He is on the move. And after everything, you will prophesy by your own tongue that He God was with you all along.

Faith: Losing it when things don’t go our way

In the account of Jesus walking on water, Peter began to sink when he saw the waves and became afraid. This is a reminder that when we take our eyes off Jesus and focus on our problems, we can quickly lose faith and become overwhelmed. While losing faith can be focused on being afraid, there are different ways we lose faith.

Becoming angry with God, complaining, murmuring, and questioning if God is still answering. Also, trying other ways to find the answers we seek, going to seers, turning to witch doctors and witchcraft, and following and worshipping other gods. The book of Exodus accounts for the Israelites’ journey to the promised land. With many things that the Israelites did that did not please God, murmuring and grumbling were two of them.

If you once trusted the Lord and He answered, what makes you think He won’t answer this time? And even if this is the beginning of your journey with Him, trust Him even when you see nothing for that is faith. Losing faith can be dangerous because it can lead to despair and hopelessness. However, as Christians, He is calling us to have faith in God’s plan for our lives, even when we don’t understand it. We need to trust that He is with us, and He will see us through any storm we face.

The Power of Faith: The Seas and Waves Obey Him

In both the stories of Jesus walking on water and calming the storm, we see the power of faith. When we have faith in Jesus, we can do the impossible, like walking on water. We can also overcome any storm in our lives because we know that Jesus has the power to calm the seas and waves.

While we have learned more about how he calmed the seas and the waves, in His Word, Jesus has promised many things and shown us the impossible like the healing of the sick, change of heart, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, dumb speaking and the impossible of all resurrection. Jesus resurrected Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter and He himself (was) resurrected from the dead. What more do we need to hear to know HE IS GOD?

See, Faith is a powerful tool that we can use to find inner peace during chaotic times. When we trust in God’s plan for our lives and have faith that He is with us, we can find solace in His promises.

Strengthening Faith: What can you do today?

So from this all, how can we apply the lessons we’ve learned from the Bible to find inner peace today? Let us:

• Trust in God’s plan for our lives. Remember that He is in control, and nothing happens without His permission. Whether be war, diseases, or pain, accepting this truth will help us see beyond what we are experiencing and the Holy Spirit to teach us more.
• Keep your focus on Jesus. When you feel overwhelmed by chaos, focus on Jesus and His promises. Spend time in prayer and in the Word, and let His peace wash over you. And as much as we spend time in church or fellowship groups with others, let us have a personal devotion time with God. This helps not only to cultivate a personal relationship with the Creator but also, to strengthen our personal faith and trust in God through prayers and worship, experiencing God intimately.
• Have faith. Trust that Jesus has the power to calm any storm in your life. Believe that He can do the impossible and that He is with you always. Because He CAN.
• Trusting in God’s Plan for Our Lives. Jeremiah 11 says it better about God’s promise to us His own, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,…”
• Pray, for He hears. David writes in Psalm 83:1 (ESV) “God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God.” Remind the LORD, not that He doesn’t hear or can not answer but because you trust He is working on it and you remind Him how expectant you are to Him alone.
• Seek Him with all your heart. Jeremiah 11 continues …Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.I will be found by you,…”.

Final Word

Grace works everything in the end for the glory of the Holy God, when you are alive. Finding inner peace during chaotic times is possible when we trust in God’s plan for our lives. We can find solace in His promises and have faith that He will see us through any storm we face. By keeping our focus on Jesus, we can walk on water, so to speak, and overcome any obstacle in our path.

As Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So let us trust in God’s plan for our lives and find peace in His promises.