In business as well as in life, this is God’s specialty

Of all the words that describe the world around us, confusion has got to be near the top. Confusion makes it impossible to think clearly or make decisions. It can come through the constant pull of people, possibilities, and problems. It breaks up our lives into tiny, little, useless pieces.

Our heads constantly spin wildly as the daily grind and pressure pulls us apart. We are beside ourselves as we’re dragged one way. Then another. We jump from one thing to another. And then another. Confusion keeps us from being focused or getting anything done. At the end of the day, we’re exhausted and filled with the emptiness of an unfulfilled life.

But you’re thinking that God is not a God of confusion, but of peace (see 1 Corinthians 14:33). The problem is that Paul’s telling us that God in Himself has no confusion. There’s not a whisper of turmoil between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is nothing but love, unity, and glorying one another.

On the other hand, confusion here on planet Earth is leaking out all over the place. There are times when confusion is the direct result of our sin. But sometimes our confusion is the backwash of someone else’s sinful words, thoughts, actions, or attitudes. Confusion can also be the direct result of God’s punishment.

When we experience confusion that Jonah created for the sailors (see Jonah 1:4-16), it’s the worst possible kind. It comes out of nowhere and invades our life. Everything’s been rolling along well, and then there’s a call. An email. A test result. A relationship dissolves. A job and your income are suddenly swept away. Your head starts to spin, and confusion turns your life inside-out.

It’s Personal

No matter the cause of your confusion, its impact is always personal. It only becomes confusion after it kicks down the door and barges in. Left outside, it doesn’t stir our hearts. In a real sense, we’re our very own barista and brew that bitter beverage known as confusion.

As I try and write these words, I’m filled with confusion. I can’t stay focused. My mind keeps racing off the screen, distracted by my ever-growing to-do list. But that’s not the real problem. It’s only a symptom of my particular form of confusion today.

As I try to put some words together, I can’t help flying away in my mind to another state. Another city. To a quiet street where some very dear friends have happily lived for so many years. But after a long, rough ride on the roller-coaster of healthcare, the cancer had spread. The pain is excruciating. My friend, Mr. T., was brought home by ambulance to spend his few remaining weeks under hospice care and the loving embrace of his family.

Yes, the world and our lives are filled with confusion. And if that’s the end of the story, then we should just pack up our bags and go home. We should have the guts to admit that life on this small, insignificant, broken planet won’t get any better by itself. That our lives will be miserable, filled with pain and emptiness because we can’t fix everything.

 But the overwhelming good news from God is that there is a way to change confusion into an advantage. To transform it into something powerful and good. God has a whole new, life-changing ways to live with and through confusion.

Confusion’s Plan

This life’s not an accident. It’s not random. We didn’t just somehow fall from the sky to stumble around down here on this unremarkable little planet. We were created by a great and all-powerful God who doesn’t need anyone or anything. He created us to reveal Himself to us. To love us.

God is never confused. There’s never been a moment throughout all eternity where God jumps up and says, “How did that happen? How did they get over there? I’m so surprised!” While there are many things that I just don’t understand and can’t control, none of that applies to God. What we think of as confusion is part of His plan. Under His control.

For it is not yet time for it to come true. The time is coming in a hurry, and it will come true. If you think it is slow in coming, wait for it. For it will happen for sure, and it will not wait. Habakkuk 2:3 NLV

His vision for the future is the safest, sure-fire investment plan in the universe. But He’s more than just a cold, impersonal checklist. God will personally use confusion in the lives of people and nations. The confusion that we live through daily is in His hand. Through our confusion, we have a part to play. Things to do. Words to say. People to be.

Confusion’s Purpose

The confusion you’re experiencing right now has a great big purpose in your life and the lives of the people you connect with. God just loves to use confusion for His purposes.

Think about the nation of Israel just after the Passover. Pharaoh walks back his announcement and releases the best technology and best trained people by sending 600 chariots to bring them back; dead or alive (see Exodus 14:5-8). Listen to their confusion and you’ll hear yourself. Blaming God. Blaming the enemy. Blaming your leaders (see Exodus 14:10-12).

But before the Israelites knew there was trouble. God tells them to “turn back” and go down a peninsula where they could easily be trapped. And why? So that God “will receive glory” and that “the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord” (see Exodus 14:1-4).

The best time for people to see the Lord is when they know and see our confusion. Our pain. Our weakness. But there’s more. God wants the world to know that He is the Lord. He’s God and we aren’t.

Confusion’s Profit

Yes, with God, there is profit in and through confusion. Over and over through the lives of spiritual superstars and average people, God does more than just say it. He promises it and He delivers it.

If you’re looking for a life full of confusion, look at the Apostle Paul. He goes from running to arrest and kill Christians to leading the charge for Jesus. To escape a plot to kill Paul, some disciples lower him in a basket through an opening in the wall (see Acts 9:1-25).

And the confusion hits just keep on coming. He’s whipped, beaten with rods, stoned, and shipwrecked three times. He was under the gun. Under threats. No food. No sleep. No money. No clothing (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-27). And to top it all off, he received a thorn in the flesh from a messenger of Satan to torment him (See 2 Corinthians 12:7,8).

If I was on the receiving end of a thorn in the flesh like this, I might think about changing jobs. Not Paul. He didn’t pick up his ball and run home to momma. He didn’t just toss out a quick prayer, he pleaded. Three times he went to God, begging for the thorn to be removed. He begged. And begged. And begged. God’s loving and compassionate answer was that the confusion of his life, the pain of his thorn, was going to pay big dividends.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

And that’s exactly what you’d expect from a spiritual giant like Paul. But what about people like you and me? Well, God’s big and powerful enough to use people in the background.

Take the unknown and unnamed servant girl who worked for Naaman’s wife (see 2 Kings 5:2,3). She lets God use her confusion to bring both physical and spiritual healing to Naaman.

Yes, there are moments in this life where things do turn out great. But there is absolutely no guarantee that our lives here in this sin-broken world are going to be filled with nothing but good times and happiness. This is not the time or place where everything’s coming up roses. Where we float from one ecstasy to another.

There are three promises from God Himself about how He is going to profit through the confusion of your life. And His profiting is guaranteed to spill over on you and me.

First, all the blessings of God and more are absolutely promised when we go to be with the Lord in eternity. The future life has no sorrow, pain, tears, or death (see Revelation 21:4).

Second, He understands us and our weakness (see Hebrews 4:14-16). He’s experienced the same things we’ve gone through. Are going through. Will go through. He has felt your pain.

Third, He will be with us as we live through the confusion. He’ll be right there as we live with the problems and pains. No matter where we go, He goes with us (see Psalm 139:5-12).

Job knew these truths about confusion. He grew from only hearing about God to seeing Him (see Job 42:5). His faith blossomed into a deeply intimate and transparent relationship with His Lord.

Even though He kills me, I’ll continue to hope in Him.

Job 13:15 ISV

Mr. T. and hid family are living the life David described as walking through the valley of the shadow of death (see Psalm 23:4). There is confusion all around, but they know it’s not the end. They’re looking beyond this life. Looking beyond the grave. Looking to that glorious day when they’ll be welcomed by the Lord with the words we all long to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant. Share in your master’s joy (see Matthew 25:21).

When we release our rights about confusion, we can look beyond this life. We can “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (see Hebrews 12:2). We won’t just keep pace with life, struggling to keep our heads above water, but we’ll live with strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.

And He will bring great advantage, making all the confusion worthwhile.

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Dedicated to the life and friendship of my dear brother and friend,

Mr. T.

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Chet Gladkowski spent his professional career in the insurance technology arena to help people. Now, Chet uses his memorable and unique communication skills, coupled with digital media, to approach the pain, issues, and heartache that people face today. Since we can’t fix or heal ourselves, we must look at someone else. And that someone else is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ as the answer to our greatest need.

Chet’s upcoming book, ServeLife^® – How Serving Unlocks Your Purpose, walks you through how your life and purpose are just like a stack of pancakes

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