One quality I treasure dearly in my own life is orderliness. In fact, I’ve kind of built a reputation for myself around that trait. If you were to take a look at my desk, my car, my closet, and my home, and it’s instantaneously clear that I’m a bit of a neat freak—clean lines, perfect symmetry, visual peace. Even when I was a child, I systematically created order all around me in my bedroom, at school, and even in my clothing choices. Then as well as now, to say that I’m self-disciplined and organized is a slight understatement.

The thing is, life is messy. Messy situations, messy emotions, and messy relationships. No matter how hard I strive to maintain order over the chaos, I simply cannot eradicate the clutter of life! Whether it’s a mess of my own making or a mess orchestrated by someone else, one mess after another seems to regularly creep up on me. To avoid a meltdown every time I’m confronted by one, I’ve had to learn to accept the fact that messy times are part of living in a fallen world riddled with sin. The only way to clean up the mess each time is to turn to Jesus as the solution to all life’s messiness.

When I feel like everything around me could use some cleaning up, it helps to focus on three key truths:

1. God is in control, so I don’t have to be.

Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Most times in my life when I feel the mess around me, I crave order because what I really feel is fear, and what I really want is control over what and who is around me. If I’m in charge, I think I can take care of things, the fear will subside, and the outcome will be what I want. It’s clear, however, that God rules over all the messiness this world can muster, and despite it, He still provides us with peace. John 16:33 reminds us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

2. God cares about how I feel and what I go through.

In 1 Peter 5:7, we are told to, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Regardless of how messy our times get, we can rely completely on the Lord to give us exactly what we need to deal with it. We just need to turn to Him for the solution, and He will faithfully provide it! Psalm 9:9-10 promises, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

3. Life isn’t designed to be neat; it’s designed to bring glory to God.

1 Corinthians urges us, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

I spent the better part of my life desiring intelligence, beauty, wealth, approval from others, comfort, and relaxation.  Those aren’t bad things, but they’re lesser things. The greater thing, the GREATEST thing, I should desire is to bring glory to God through everything I do and everything I am, even in my messy times.

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Jessica is the administrative assistant to Kathy and Keith in various areas including Vineyard FIT, Vineyard Groups, Missions, and Outreach. Sending emails, editing handouts, and compiling data are some of the things she can be found doing most often.

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