When our life is thrust into chaos, it is easy to feel helpless.
You look at the sky, seeking help, but feel abandoned by the Father who sent you. Your perception of the world shifts, and bitterness begins to seep through. In times like these, it's difficult to love.
As a result, both your personal relationships and professional life begin to suffer. The world you adored for its color gets shrouded in hues of grays. But that is not the way to pass through life. However, can anyone truly learn how to cultivate compassion through the turmoil?
Looking Inward
“He did this Creation, where He hovered over the chaotic waters and brought forth the land, which He filled with order and abundant life.”
-Genesis 1
In the pursuit of cultivating love through chaos, we must first understand what is the root cause of our reaction toward hardship. Of course, going through any professional or personal difficulty is not a pleasant experience. As humans, it's in our nature to blame outside sources for a mishap we may be going through and not acknowledge the source for what it is. It may look like God is instigating hardships in our lives, and then, naturally, we begin to doubt and distance ourselves from everyone and everything.
In that moment, we must pause, take a breather and reflect. We are questioning the God who created all the stars and called them all by name. He ensures the birds in the sky are fed, the world revolves, and life sustains. If He chose you to dwell in the land He created, you must have a greater purpose.
Jesus said, “Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent.” This does not mean that God ordains the time and circumstances of every sparrow's death; it merely means what the Lord said: God has the final decision.
The implication is that God may execute His authority in some scenarios more in a mode of consenting (a more passive mode) than a dictatorial mode. If this is true, then sometimes the religious proposition that this evil was God's plan may be erroneous. For instance, no one can rationally justify the kidnapping, torture, and murder of a child (or any other heinous evil act)—no matter how pious the “God will bring some good out of it” proposition sounds. Therefore, God, being good, cannot possibly be the author of such evil; instead, God allows evil to have its way. God allows this because He intends not to compromise our free will. God insists we have free will because He wants people to come to Him from volition (love), not compulsion (law). Thus, God indeed loves us through the chaos and suffering by abiding with us in the pain, not shielding us from the pain, and not causing or approving of the pain.
Subsequently, most of the negative influences in our lives are self-inflicted. Other times, you can't control circumstances. With both of these scenarios, there are blessings there for you to extract. A diamond cannot be crafted until it’s carbon atomsare put under immense temperature and pressure. Hence, we can only learn to overcome hardship when exposed to it.
To cultivate love in the face of adversity, we must change our perspective and try to understand the nature of our Father in Heaven.
What if you were told that you and the Creator Himself share similar characteristics? God created us in His own image. Similarly, we all possess the potential to forgive when people wrong us. We have the ability to give charity, even when we are barely getting by. We have the patience to pray for those who persecute us and, ultimately, love through the chaos and suffering.
Here are five practical changes you can instill in your life to help you love in the wake of adversity.
- Bible Study: Spend time delving into the Bible, absorbing the enlightening wisdom and instructions God has given us. Study how Jesus practiced and demonstrated compassion toward His peers who persecuted Him, and try to incorporate those changes in your daily life.
- Charity: The early Christians made it a priority to divide their resources among their own. Perhaps volunteer at a shelter or feed a homeless individual. Practice random acts of kindness.
- Remain Positive: In the presence of chaos, step back and shift your perspective. Perhaps re-read this blog as a reminder that positivity can be extracted even in the worst of situations. Surround yourself with like-minded believers who will strengthen your faith.
- Prayer: If you feel abandoned by God, communicate with Him through prayer. God wishes to have a relationship with us and, like a good Father, He is always available to listen.
- Content: In today's day and age, the content you consume plays a vital role in how you behave. Use social media to indulge in literature, helping you through adversity. Prioritize absorbing wisdom with religious reads enlightening you through your spiritual journey.
Loving isn't easy, and loving through chaos and adversity is challenging. However, need not worry; author E. Vince has penned a story that you can always revert to in the pursuit of an answer to your plight. AFTERLIFE, There Will Be Trouble is book 1 of 3, where the author narrates a gripping family drama where patience is tested and chaos looms on the horizon. The characters are forced to question God in the wake of hardship. The book is relatable and riveting thanks to E. Vince's writing prowess.
Make “AFTERLIFE, There Will Be Trouble” your calm through the chaos —available now for e-book pre-order on Amazon, release date December 13, 2023.
