When Your Day is Upside Down

Once upon a time, four adult children used their keys to enter Mimi and PopPop's Seamon's house. Knowing that Mimi and PopPop were out of town, the pranksters of the family thought it would be fun to turn pictures upside down, short-sheet the master bed, and rewrite the grocery list.

Imagine the laughs when Mimi and PopPop returned home. It was fun to find slight hints that our boys and their spouses had stopped by for a few hours, even though we weren't there.

My mind wanders from the unexpected, upside-down items within my house to how my day often falls into unpredictable chaos. Do you ever feel like your plan or your day has turned upside down? Have you ever stepped into unexpected chaos? Me too! So what is a gal to do when life has flipped in a way that you did not expect?

Here are some things that are helping me.

God's grace breathes peace even in the middle of chaos.

When life is turned upside down, remember that God's grace breathes peace even in the middle of your chaos. He is still the one that we must turn to for He gives calm in darkness and confusion. He brings peace to our chaos. When you need peace, remember God's grace still brings calm, even in the middle of chaos. Psalm 107:29-31 reads, "He makes the storm be still, and the waves of the sea are hushed. Then they are glad that the waters are quiet; He guides them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind!" This imagery of calm during a storm illustrates God's power to bring peace during life's storms. Yes, He has the power to calm the seas, and He has the power to calm life's storms. He gives an inner peace unlike the peace of this world. He calms my heart and anxiety. I know that He is sovereign and I am not. Therefore, I trust His loving hand in the good and bad situations of life. You can rest because He has your best interests in mind. God can take the wrongs of this world and make them right again. Isaiah 26:3 reads, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Your Chaos may be God's invitation to step into something new.

If God, in his sovereignty, has allowed disorientation in your life, then it might be an invitation to walk into something new. God transforms lives from darkness to light. He grows us in hard seasons for the next step. If you are living through days of ups and downs, seek Him through fasting and prayer. Ask Him for direction. Seek Him and His plan. Listen for an invitation to something new. Remember, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." When chaos surrounds us, God is often moving us from one place to another. It may be that God is inviting you to step from chaos into something new and calming.

You will be happy to know that I rearranged every upside-down item into the correct direction. Pictures were turned right side up. Decor was placed back into order. The grocery list was rewritten. The calm was restored as I touched each item one at a time to revive the peace. I smiled, knowing that God rejoices as He makes all things right in our lives, too.

I smiled, knowing that God rejoices as He makes all things right in our lives, too.