Blessing & Chaos

I recently moved from one state to another, my seventh military move in fifteen years.  My last one, two years ago, was an absolutely chaotic disaster, and its impact showed itself in how my daughter and I planned and packed for this move.  However, I don’t think that this move could have gone any smoother.  My house was ready, my household goods arrived the day after we got into our house, and the timing across the board has been perfect – even in this era of COVID-19 and Stop Movement Orders.

As I drifted off to sleep last night, awash with gratitude, I whispered a prayer, thanking God for His hand being on this move.  I mean, it has gone almost perfectly; of course His hand has been on this move!  But I felt Him say back to me, “Is My hand only on something because it goes well?  Do you really believe that I’m not present when things seem to fall apart?”

Eeeesh.  We never look at something that is coming apart at the seams and call it blessed.  But I don’t believe that when things are going wrong, it means that God has taken a vacay and we’re on our own.  Sometimes, things go off the rails because there’s a lesson to be learned in the chaos.  Sometimes, the disaster is the blessing, even if we don’t see it at the time.  And always, God is present.

Matthew 5:45 (NIV) says, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  Things are absolutely going to go sideways sometimes, but it doesn’t mean we aren’t loved, and it doesn’t mean God isn’t in control.  It does mean that there’s a plan bigger than us, better than we can imagine, and perhaps more blessed than we can contemplate, even if not at the present moment.