A few weeks ago, I was on the phone with a friend from college who I was given the privilege of watching God take hold of during our senior year and call to himself. Her growth and passion for the Lord over the past three years have been a source of joy and encouragement to me.
She shared with me how she always struggled to know what was the voice of the Holy Spirit and what was her own voice. In her classic goofy and casual way, she told me, "But I finally realized that when the message is clear, that's the Holy Spirit, and when the message is confusing, dat me."
Recently, I sat on a bench with a woman who shared with me her desire to be married but knew she hadn't met the right man yet. She looked me in the eyes and told me that she believed that when she met the right man she would know and feel peace. "Deus não é um Deus de confusão (God is not a God of confusion)" she told me.
Wait, why did I feel like I was having déjà vu?
I am a strong believer in God communicating to us with patterns because just like any good parent, God has to repeat himself in order to be heard, and like the disobedient children we are, we usually aren't listening the first time.
This truth that God is a God of clarity and not confusion is found in 1 Corinthians 14:33, which says: "God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (CSB), or "God is not a God of confusion but of peace" (ESV).
These verses are specifically talking about how the gift of tongues should be stewarded, especially in the congregation. People speaking in tongues without an interpreter present would only result in confusion and disorder, which is not the vision Christ has for the church.
What is Christ's vision for the church?
Verse 26 answers this question: "What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything is to be done for building up" (CSB).
Everything in the church must be done for building up. How can confusion and disorder build up? They can't and therefore have no place in the church.
God is a God of clarity, of order, of edification and for this reason he values these principals in his church.
And since God cannot contradict himself, we know this principal governs how he interacts with us in our personal lives. It wouldn't make sense for God to value clarity and order in the congregation but confusion and disorder in our personal lives.
We cannot overlook this.
Why? Because if we believe that God is the author of clarity, of order, and of peace, then we learn to follow those principals. Where there is clarity, where there is order, where there is peace, there is a good chance that's where God is and there's a good chance that is where God is asking us to follow him.
Important note: Peace does not equal comfort. Clarity does not equal absence of fear. Order does not equal absence of trial or persecution.
The Lord will lead us out of our comfort zones, he will lead us where we are afraid to go and he will lead us through trials and persecutions, but he will give us his peace.
Philippians 4:7 tells us that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (CSB).
This means the peace of God will accompany us when life is hard and when it seems like we should be without peace. The opposite is true for those who reject God and vow to do things their own way.
"'There is no peace for the wicked,' says the Lord" (Isaiah 48:22 CSB).
There is a difference between fear, life circumstances that bring suffering, external persecution and a profoundly troubled spirit without rest or peace.
There are people who, justifiably, caution against using our feelings to make decisions. They say that making decisions based on the presence or absence of peace is wrong, because that is just a feeling and feelings come and go--the Bible is the only foundation on which we can make decisions.
I agree and disagree with this argument and I'll explain why.
First, I agree that we cannot solely make decisions on our feelings and claim that is the Lord's leading. I do agree that is wrong and could even be borderline sinful at times. However, I would argue that the peace I am talking about and that the Bible is talking about is not a feeling, but a deep sense of knowing and trust in the Lord.
Peace is present despite feelings of fear, doubt, or worry.
I think where people get tripped up is when they confuse peace for feelings of comfort, security, or control. Feelings of comfort, security and control are passing and are not foundations worthy of decision making.
Do I think we should make decisions based on feelings? 100% no. Do I think we should make decisions based on the peace of the Lord? 100% yes.
If you have felt the peace of the Lord, you know there is a difference, and you know it truly does "surpass all understanding" and feelings.
My encouragement to you who find yourselves at a crossroad is to follow the peace of the Lord.
I want to briefly share that I too find myself at a crossroad to extend my contract here in Brazil or not and my feelings are all over the place and changing every day. My constant prayer has been for that all surpassing peace of the Lord to guide me. My prayer is that I would not make a decision based on fear, or comfort, or lack of trust, or lack of faith, or selfish motives. My prayer is that I would know the peace of the Lord, and know with perfect clarity and conviction the path to take.
My prayer for you is the same.
You are loved and you are not alone,
S
