Finding Joy in Chaos

The world is in great turmoil. There are wars, and rumors of wars, nations are fighting against nations, iniquity abounds, the love of men is waxing cold, there is famine, pestilences, earthquakes in divers place, men's hearts are failing them, the list of scriptural prophecies goes on and on.

All you have to do is take one look at the news of the day, and you find an endless pit of chaos and conflict. It can be disheartening. I read the news a lot. I've always liked to be informed (we are supposed to be informed!). But it has to be balanced out, that is for sure. If all I did all day was read the news, I would be depressed, no doubt about it.

I think it is safe to say we are living in a ravaged world. According to the news reel everything is out of control. People live in a state of mayhem.

But as I was walking along a quiet dirt trail yesterday, with the sun warming my face, and beauty filling my vision -- I saw none of the chaos and conflict reported in the news. The people I passed on the trail smiled, and said hello. A perfect stranger and I discussed the beauty of the day. People were out walking their dogs, going for a jog, and capturing the beauty with their cameras. (This one guy had a lens the size of a vacuum cleaner! It was HUGE!) I found myself surrounded by nature, sunshine, nice people, singing birds, and all was right with the world. It felt a bit like paradise. It was wonderful. Truly, truly, wonderful.

My life is full of wonderful paradise moments. There are hard times to be sure, but the good is so much better than the bad. The beauty far outweighs the ugly. The joy is far superior to the pain. I can dwell on the bad, or I can dwell on the good.

I choose joy.

Where does my joy come from? It comes from God. I love my Heavenly Father, and I know He loves me. I know I am in His Hands. And that fact carries me through all of my earthly trials -- no matter how big, no matter how small.

Despite all of the conflict that exists in the world, it is possible to have joy. It is possible to have peace in your heart while experiencing hard times. It is possible to have your heart firmly clasped onto Heaven so strongly, that even when your head is reeling with emotion and confusion over difficult challenges, you somehow know everything is going to be OK in the end.

My eyes see the chaos, my heart sees hope.

The times we live in now requires us to be closer to God than ever before. He will be by your side while traveling on the path of life. You just have to draw yourself to Him, let Him in, bring Him close to you by the things that you do -- don't turn Him away!

Cling to Him.

Have joy!

One day all the chaos will be gone, and then...

Eternal Paradise.