The Prince Of Peace

Apr 27, 2023

I think the enemy often works in the ways we least expect.

We think attacks from Satan will come through monstrous evils and horrific suffering. And sometimes, sadly, it does. But, often I think Satan can defeat us through far less effort. Because large acts of destruction can push us to God, but the smaller attacks can be silently brutal. Satan doesn’t have to destroy us with evil, he just has to slowly push us to apathy, numbness, or confusion.

A few months back I was in the midst of an attack and Satan had me in my least favorite of the three: confusion.

He was using struggles to confuse me and BOY was he doing a good job at it! The confusion wasn’t as tragic as a death or as brutal as an illness, but somehow it put me in a spot so locked up in chaos that God felt far. And in the confusion, I didn’t know how to, or want to, seek God because I just felt STRESSED! I was texting with a wise older friend during that time and she told me, “I just want to remind you that God is not the author of confusion and when we are confused, then we need to sit quietly before the Lord and ask Him what is going on in the situation and what we need to do moving forward.”

I received that text and immediately went into my backyard and sat before God quietly. The irony in all the confusion is that I had been so worked up that I hadn’t been spending adequate time with God. Sure a devo time here and there, but the stress was getting to me.

I was filling my time with phone calls and venting, so much so that I hadn’t really sat with God and listened.

So I did. And within seconds a peace washed over me. I prayed, and then I listened. And, as Josh Hotsenpillar would say, “His voice was louder than audible.” He gave me clarity and peace and steps to take moving forward. Now, certainly, the issue that the confusion arose from still left me with questions. Sitting before God doesn’t mean that we will automatically know all things and never feel doubt or stress.

But what my wise friend reminded me is that confusion isn’t the same as lack of knowledge. I can not know and wonder while still having peace. Confusion creates anxiety that pushes us further from God.

When we seek God’s face we find peace, even if that means all of our questions aren’t answered.

1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us:

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

- 1 Corinthians 14:33

Maybe you are experiencing some of those crafty, more subtle attacks from the enemy and you haven’t even realized it. You’re left feeling apathetic towards God, numb towards religion, and confused.

Friend, can I implore you to seek God’s face? Can I implore you to sit before him in silence? It might not come right away, it might take time, but I promise you there will be peace. There may not be answers, but there will be a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Our God wants us to know Him. So today, sit before him. Listen. Wait. And trust that, in time, He will replace our apathy with His love. Our numbness with warmth. And our confusion with peace.