If you are a Christ-follower, you have likely heard that “God is not a God of confusion” or “Satan is the author of confusion”. These sayings come from 1 Corinthians 14:33, which in part reads, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” (Some versions state “instability” for “confusion”). However, after ruminating on this word a bit and digging more into what God has to say about it, there are actually several points in scripture where God caused, allowed, and/or used confusion (you can bookmark and read about some of them… Exodus 14, Joshua 10). However, in the original Greek language*, the 1 Corinthians 14:33 word “confusion” (akatastasia) means state of confusion, disturbance, disarray, or tumult. Therefore, we better interpret the verse to mean that God is not a God of…doubt, instability, disorder, or disturbance. (Greek versions of Genesis have a different word than “akatastasia” – hamam – which means to make a noise, move noisily, confuse, throw into commotion. 

So, it’s no surprise that when Satan wants us to stumble, he will use instability, disorder, doubt, or disturbance to do so. And only when we seek God’s truth can we break through that.  

In a current Bible study group I’m in, the author posed a question that had our entire group ruminating on the answer for several days as we parted ways. The question, “How long do you pray for something before you give up? Before you quit? Explain.” led us to a discussion around why God answers certain prayers with an expedient ‘yes’, while others are answered with a never-ending ‘wait’, confusing why our prayers about the things that seem to be of His will are not expediently answered. Trusting in the Lord was what we all agreed was the right ‘answer’ to the confusion, but I sensed I was not alone in feeling less than satisfied with that answer when thinking about some of the deep desires of my heart for friends to be saved and marriages and illnesses to be healed. 

So, isn’t it just like God to show up with a story that illustrates why it’s so important that we trust Him and His ways and not ours?

One such story came during my son’s high school chapel the very next day. I attended because his Cross Country Team was being recognized and some of his close friends were performing in the chapel band. Little did I know that God had intended to use that time for so much more for me than to just go and capture some videos and pictures of our kiddos! After the student worship band finished playing, the speaker began what was to be a very powerful 15 minutes of pouring his heart out to a room filled with mostly teenagers and a few adults. You could hear a pin drop. 

He started by sharing about his family’s struggle getting his wife from Canada to the States due to delays in getting her visa. They have dozens of families and friends praying for them and this situation, and yet each step closer results in two steps back. Opportunities continue to slip through the cracks. After all, doesn’t God want this married couple together? After a recent blow, resulting in him being incredibly sad, confused, and angry with God, and feeling like their prayers were not being answered, he arrived at school the next day to receive a text from a struggling student who wanted to connect over his lunch break. Needless to say, he did not feel like he was in the best position to be helping someone, let alone a vulnerable student. However, he knew he needed to show up for this student, and so he met with him. As they circled the track, wouldn’t you know, that student shared he was struggling with God, feeling like prayers were not being answered. Sound familiar? 

I’m not sure how long they circled that track, but it was long enough for them to get vulnerable with their struggles together, and for both of them to meet God on that track and see how He was indeed with them in their struggles. 

While these struggles that come at us in life can create confusion, cause fear, and even cloud our judgment, they were remembering and holding onto the truth that God does promise He goes before us, and is with us, as we face it all. (Deuteronomy 31:8) He will also give us His wisdom when we seek it. And the wisdom found on the track that day, and ultimately shared with the speaker’s wife – and a room filled with students – was so simple yet so incredibly meaningful and profound. You see, as he was sharing with his wife about the time he spent with a student on the track that day, he realized that if their prayer was not yet answered with a yes because he was meant to have time with that student in this circumstance, then the waiting was completely worth it. And with that, he placed it in the hands of God. Confusion was made clear with the trust that God is in control of their matters, and He will remain faithful. And I am confident that many students and adults in that auditorium needed to hear that message that day.

This brought to mind a quote I recently came across that felt so fitting for this story, and for all of us who find ourselves impatient, or even sad and mad because we’re not getting the answers we want from God:

“Much confusion in the Christian life comes from ignoring the simple truth that God is far more interested in building your character than he is anything else.”

Rick Warren

In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It’s easy to get confused when we don’t feel we have control over a situation (or perhaps even feel like God is spending way too much time building our character!) When we try to take control of a situation that needs to be turned over to God, time and time again we find it just doesn’t go well for us. Be encouraged that God’s Word is filled with wisdom we can hold on to. When the world delivers instability, disorder, or disturbance, take heart that only His truth can bring clarity…And if we submit to His ways, we can even find our answers and/or clarity in the most unlikely places. sometimes it might just come on a walk around a track with a friend.

Please pray with me…

Lord, thank You that You are for us and not against us. Thank You for Your glimpses, like the one shared in front of hundreds of students last week, that give us hope in Your perfect plans for us. When doubt, instability, disorder, or disturbances abound, I pray You give us clarity and wisdom to break through the confusion. You are so good to love us so perfectly. I praise You and ask all of this in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

*Note: When you find a verse that helps you, it’s so important to gain context for it. Look at the surrounding text in the Bible and then look for the original audience and cultural events or significance. That will definitely help to clear up confusion about “confusion” or any other key insights God might have for us!