Herding Cats and Managing Chaos

I had a fun discussion this past week, with someone about their position in management. Their summation of their job was "trying to manage chaos."  A most interesting description, almost like one I heard just recently when a person muttered that what they did was like trying to herd cats.

Life is a confusing thing and definitely not for wimps. It has many challenges and sometimes the directions are not certain.  And sometimes, reading the manual doesn't help.  I got an item just recently that came with "assembly" instructions, that may as well have bee written by someone trying to create a crossword puzzle. I had chaos in front of me and part 2A looked almost identical to part 10c and the diagram was so small, that you couldn't tell what went where.

We all face dead ends at times, whether financial, emotional, or everyday life. We're not certain where to turn, what decision to make, etc.  Prov.3:5,6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  We must learn that trusting God is the best way, even if we cannot always see the outcome and are not sure within ourselves.  We must stick to what we know to be true (1 Pet.3:13) and trust God to reveal to us the rest in His own time and according to His own will.

Sometimes, understanding is not a requirement for us to start down the path God lays out for us. Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter till the full light of day.” (NIV)  We may not even understand until we make it to eternity. But the events, circumstances, and happenings in my life are not coincidence, chance or "luck." We are where we are, doing what we are doing for a reason. One day you will stand in the full light of eternity and view the big picture. You’ll see God’s purpose behind the path he specifically chose for you and then state, "ah...now I understand."

In the meantime, be patient. God knows what He’s doing and part of your circumstance is to see if you trust God in this. God knows what is best for you. He can see the end result, you cannot. All those problems, heartaches, difficulties and delays—all the things that make you ask “why”—one day will all be clear in the light of God’s love. Until then, "Psa 23:4  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Jim