When we feel confused–or worse yet–confounded, it’s hard to make decisions. It’s difficult to see straight. We don’t know if we should keep pushing forward through a challenge or if that challenge is serving as a warning for us to change direction.
When we choose to go by faith and live a life filled with God’s spirit, we become messengers for good. Our mission to overcome evil and help others overcome it through spiritual guidance becomes clear, but it also directly conflicts with all the opposing forces trying to keep us from that path. This could result in an attempt to confuse, mislead and create chaos in our lives.
When we start thinking to ourselves: I feel confused. I don’t know which message is the right message, that’s when we get stuck. But that’s also where the beauty lives. When we feel the most lost, that’s often the place we most need to be found. When we no longer know which decision to make or which direction to turn, that’s when the journey of our life begins.
Why Confusion Could Be Good
1. We discover true strength in true weakness.
When we don’t know where to turn, we feel weak. We feel broken. But in our weakness, that’s where God meets us and strenghtens us. That’s where we finally open our hands and surrender. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Pauls writes:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2. We learn to trust in spiritual intervention.
Confusion and distortion is often used by evil to throw us off balance… to make us second guess our faith and feel insecure. But let’s remember where confusion originates. It works through humans, but it was not not created by humans. In fact, this struggle is not at all on a human level, though the distortion makes it look that way.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).
When confusion comes on us from an evil force, it’s out of our hands. We pray to God for spiritual intervention, for protection against the attack. We learn more and more to trust that God overcomes evil with good.
3. We can be changed from the inside out.
God loves us enough to know when course correction–even when it feels devastating–is in our best interest. We can attempt to force and control situations in our lives, but eventually we are faced with a question we can’t answer… and emotion we can’t handle… a dead end we can’t escape.
Sometimes God uses periods of confusion for our own good. In these times when we go blind, we must feel around in the dark and let Him work his miracle in our lives. Some verses that reflect this:
“Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city” (Psalm 55:9).
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Blessings! God has your best intentions in His heart always.
SweetMummy says
I agree with you – I do think being confused or uncertain can be a good thing, as long as it drives us to the Truth. The same could be said about doubt. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
char says
Thanks. This is exactly how I’m feeling right now. I’m a teenager going through a confusing phrase about religion and morality and all that tough stuff…I’m trying to put my faith in God that He’ll help me clear things up and point me straight. Thanks for your words. Perks me up.
Shahnella Smith says
I agree as well, I am also a teenager who really loves God but I am going through a lot of confusion. I was so confused that I even got mad at both God and the Devil. I am still kind of confused but this helped me a little and I will keep praying about it.
Jennifer Johns says
Keep praying Char… He will show you the way. You are in good hands.
Blessings!
Ed Hightower says
Thanks; your piece was very helpful.
Michelle says
Thank you for this.I’m only 17,this is the first time I’ve felt my faith weak.I hope that by the power of the holy spirit I may be rescued.I have no one to talk to.No one understands me now.I am so confused and I feel my faith very weak.I’ve always been one to easily get influenced by people or things.This is not 2nd confusion crisis of my life.I made the right choice during the 1st confusion.I don’t know what to do.I feel nothing when I pray.Maybe I’m not diligent enough.I’m so confused.
Jenn Johns says
Hi Michelle… this is a really late reply, but I’m praying over comments, new and old, and want you to know you are in my prayers for God’s guidance and wisdom to fill you and comfort you.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:6-7)
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
God bless you.
Jayden Gillam says
That’s how I am feeling right now, please pray for me.
Adrian Udensi says
I really lovr this. Im really confused about things I want to do, God helping provide all I need for it, putting me in the right path, knowing really what God wants if is still with what I want. I want HIM TO SPEAK TO ME
Amie says
I m going through a really tough time in my life. I m confused about work (still trying to find my feet in my role). I’m still finding my feet in the Lord (building my faith and growth) and I have found a God-fearing guy who I like and I m not sure if he likes me back (I think it’s mainly because I haven’t been able to show who I really am on the inside to the person. The truth is I m still figuring myself out). I know God is silently walking me through this phase. But it’s not easy holding on to my faith and finding inner peace in the midst of the storm
Drey says
Im 36, I have 2 kids and a loving caring wife. I’m so confused and troubled. Im not sure if I can be the father Im supposed to be. I feel like what Im doing is not enough. I feel so worried about our future, their education, our finances..Im at the point when I dont know what to do. Oh dear God please guide me for I am so lost:(
Jamall C White says
I keep messing up. Please pray for me. Jesus deliver me. JW.
Venah says
I am real in a diversity of confusion , and drowning spritually , plz pray for me
Moreen says
Hey
Am really confused and I don’t know what to do. I want to obey my parents by pursuing the course they want but at the same I feel that my heart does not lie in that field.Now my mom is mad at me and I feel terrible.please send me a word to help me deal with the situation.
Thank you
Jatil musa says
I am so confused about some certain things in my life. As I write to you now I am in a state of confusion but going through this write up. Hmmmm! God have touched me and l believe that things are not the same anymore. Thanks.
I still need your prayers . I am about to choose a life partner and I want God to guide my paths, not my will but his (God ) be done.
Wesley says
Very Helpful. Thanks… Im 17, sometimes I feel confused for no reason. I just dont know what’s bordering me and I feel ike im not doing something right or im not doing something im supposed to do or perhaps im doing something im not supposed to do. This confusion is eating me up and I mostly find something doing but I cannot stay without having any negative emotions.