Finding Clarity in a World of Confusion
“Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!” (Psalm 77:19 NLT).
I think many of dislike to be in “limbo.” We want to know where we stand. We seek clarity. Perhaps at no time is this greater than in times of adversity. It is in these times, that we face the proverbial fork in the road. Pursue clarity from the secular world or obtain clarity from God’s word. If you pursue clarity from the secular world, you will never find it. However, God provides us clarity in the Bible. Matthew 7:7 provides the guide to finding what we seek. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Twice it is recorded in the Gospels that Jesus asked, “What do you want?” (John 1:38); “What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32; Mark 10:51; Luke 18:41). He is prompting us to ask and then it will be given. We must be intentional.
We cannot judge our situation apart from God’s wisdom. In other words, we must leave it up to God to interpret our circumstances. Only He is capable of understanding all the facts, and only He sees the significance of every detail. That’s why it is so important that we test it all by His Word. If you feel overwhelmed or confused about a decision, you may be living in the flesh and not the Spirit. Our selfish desires can hinder our ability to hear God’s voice. The Bible teaches, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). He is not the author of confusion. So, if you’re feeling confused it’s not God’s voice speaking in your life.
Sometimes in life we come up against enormous financial, spiritual, or physical barriers. We seemed trapped and the situation seems hopeless. The temptation is to lean on our own understanding and trust ourselves to make our paths straight. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
When you don’t know what to do, God will guide you. He didn’t design you to go through life on your own ingenuity and power. God wants to lead you on the right path, and He will when you trust in Him. Seek and you will find “the way out” of confusion and into clarity and a peace that transcends all understanding.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the peace that comes when we trust in you. Help us to always seek clarity in your Word and to wait patiently for the way out to appear. It is in Jesus name that we pray and we live. Amen.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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