Choosing Calm in the Chaos

A few weeks ago I found myself overwhelmed in a moment of chaos. I was tucked in to four, non-stop hours of work while solo-parenting my girls. 

I try not to do this, but I wasn’t worried about this one-off. I’d juggled working and parenting at the same time pretty well in the past, so I thought it would be similar. 

I was wrong.

Before I could create a new plan or reschedule my work, we were in a mess. Less than an hour into the morning there were tears, harsh words, hair pulling, handing out of consequences, bribery, screen time babysitters, and a slew of other crazy, shameful scenarios that I loathe. 

In the moment I felt guilty as a parent, but obligated to be diligent as an employee. 

Have you ever been there? (Are you there now?)- - - - [Keep reading]

It wasn’t a normal circumstance for us, and in the midst of the chaos, I began to lose control. 

I found myself responding sharply to the girls, frustrated that I didn’t have help and confused about how to handle everything at the same time. My emotions were firing on all cylinders, creating fingers of accusation that were being pointed at all sorts of people and things. 

And in the midst of this moment, as so often happens in my life, the Holy Spirit spoke: even in the chaos you can choose to be calm—don’t let the circumstances determine your choices.

Conviction and comfort swept over me. Conviction because I was letting external circumstances choose my response. Comfort because the Holy Spirit was leading me into a place of calm. 

Although the situation was a bit chaotic and crazy, I could still choose to be calm. I have this choice, because I’m a Christian. When I said yes to Jesus, I also said yes to living in an alternate reality—the reality that my peace doesn’t come from perfection and my contentment doesn’t come from carefree living. 

Jesus promised us supernatural peace, but we have to exercise our faith to find it. It doesn’t just swallow us up, making us numb to our natural emotions and ignorant to the challenges of life. 

Even in the midst of craziness, we have the opportunity to choose calm—because Jesus has already made it available. 

Reflecting on this experience it felt like a life lesson from 2020. 

This year has been chaotic, confusing, and legitimately crazy. At times it has been overwhelming, hair triggering, and fear inducing. We’re half way through the year, and I’m looking ahead with speculation. What do the next 6 months hold? 

I feel as if so many of us are holding our breath, waiting to release a sigh of relief or a groan of disbelief. 

The truth is we don’t know what the future holds. We don’t even really know what tomorrow may bring. 

But, we do know that no matter what comes we’ve been given the ability to choose. 

We can choose certainty in the chaos. 

We can choose clarity in the confusion. 

We can choose to find calm in the crazy. 

We can choose all of this, because it’s freely been given to us by our heavenly Father. 

If you’ve felt out of control, head over heels in chaos, or at your wits end in all the crazy, lift up your head and open your eyes. See Jesus standing there, price fully paid for your peace, handing it to you with no strings attached. 

All you have to do is say yes and accept, daily choosing it over everything else.