CONFUSION-FREE HEART

“For God is not the author God of CONFUSION but of peace…” – 1 Corinthians 14:33a

God’s Word and the Holy Spirit are the Guarantors of a CONFUSION-FREE HEART: “For God is not the author of CONFUSION but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor.14:33). Although this passage addresses orderly conduct in worship services in the church, it is a universal principle that GOD IS NOT the Author of Confusion! God expects things to be orderly in the church as was reflected in the way the Old Testament worship services were meticulously planned to depict the holiness of God. He expects order – not confusion – in His Church, and in the hearts of Believers in Christ: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (v.40).

Confusion often sets in when people do not give prime place to the Word of God. Satan’s tactics include the injection of half-truths; mixing error in with the truth to make people more gullible. But, a half-truth is still a whole lie. The best way to refute and overcome error is to stay in the Truth of God’s Word consistently. We cannot rely on our heart as being the sole deciding factor to discern truth from falsehood because: “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer.17:9). Every teaching must be placed against God’s Word. If a so-called truth is confusing, it’s most likely not of God!

Every Believer has moments when they are so sure of God's love, their home, career, and future; times when everything is great. Then, there are those moments when confusion, doubt, and uncertainty seem to be the order of the day. The secret of sustaining a Confusion-free Heart and receiving Divine Direction in uncertain times is: to turn to God’s Words – His confusion-cancelling words:

“I WILL INSTRUCT YOU and TEACH YOU in the way you should go; I WILL GUIDEYOU with My eye” (Psa.32:8).

“Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know THE WAY IN WHICH I SHOULD WALK, for I lift up my soul to You” (Psa.143:8).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and HE HALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS” (Pro.3: 5-6).

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “THIS IS THE WAY, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isa.30:21).

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO. Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river…” (Isa.48: 17-18).

Finding God’s Will in a world of confusion is often difficult; hence the Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples and by extension, believers today, to ask, seek, and knock, and it will be opened or revealed to us (Mt.7:7). Persistence pays off; as we keep asking, seeking, and knocking! Moreover, trusting the Spirit of God brings clarity and reduces the likelihood of confusion: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (Jh.14:26);…“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth…” (Jh.16:13a).

Living in the world is confusing at times. Things happen that just don’t make sense, but we can lessen the likelihood of confusion by abiding in the Word of God. To find His hidden will and minimize confusion, we need to be DOING His revealed will. God will not reveal His hidden will until we at least obey His revealed will. In the words of Samuel Chadwick: “Confusion and impotence are the inevitable results when the wisdom and resources of the world are substituted for the presence and power of the Spirit.” Living in obedience to God’s Word and Spirit will enhance clarity, divine direction, and instruction, and decrease confusion in hearts and lives.