Finding Christ in the Chaos

As students, we have multiple responsibilities that constantly hang over our heads. There is always a school assignment due, a practice to attend, a deadline to meet, or a relationship to maintain. Whenever we aren’t involved with school obligations, we tend to cram our schedules with time for friends and family and other personal interests such as cleaning out our car or shopping for an upcoming event. We always want to maximize our time here on earth, yet we inevitably find ourselves overwhelmed by what life has to throw at us.

In circumstances like these, which I like to call “burdened student syndrome,” it is so easy to lose sight of God. All of the chaos of our world seems to cloud our vision of Christ, and oftentimes we lose our faith in the midst of that chaos. I tend to question whether or not God is really there for me when I’m overwhelmed with my life, but He always directs me to a vital scripture in 2 Timothy: “if we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny himself”(2 Timothy 2:13 ESV). This verse reminds us that whenever we have so much on our plate that we feel like giving up, Christ is standing right beside us, helping us hold our plate. For me, it is so encouraging to know that whenever I am faithLESS, He is faithFUL. Whenever I am drowning, He is my oxygen.

It’s easy just to say that whenever times are tough, God is there, but what about when it comes to actually seeking Him? How do we find God in those rough spots in life? As cliche as it may sound, prayer and reading the Word are essential when we need to seek God. Reading the Word instills in us the very breath of Christ’s teachings so that we are assured that no matter where we are or what our circumstance may be, God IS there. With this assurance we can pray to God and have the faith that He will see us through. Not only can we see God in the chaos through prayer and studying Scripture, but we can also see bits and pieces of Christ through blessings in disguise. For me, whenever life is ruining my day, I see Christ in a friend who sends me an encouraging message or even my mom taking me out to eat for lunch just so I don’t have to eat ramen noodles for the third time that week. The simplest encouragements may not seem very important, but they are God’s way of telling us that everything is going to be okay.

Since I love music, like the majority of teenagers, I like to relate things I discover about God to songs I’ve heard. One song by Elevation Worship sticks out to me and reminds me of God’s faithfulness when we feel overwhelmed:

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You never failed me yet

I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again

The lyrics to this song warm my heart because I am assured that whenever I am overpowered by the chaos of this world, I am still in the hands of the very one who created me! With God, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. We may not understand His plan, but we can hold on to the promise He gives us in 2 Timothy and know that He is in control.

To those of you reading this, I hope and pray that whenever you experience the “burdened student syndrome,” you will not be overwhelmed by the chaos but overwhelmed by the power and faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Seek God in everything you do. Seek the Lord and trust His ways, and He WILL see you through! Give it up to Him, and hang on for the ride. So hang in there, guys.