Have you ever felt like your faith was being turned upside down? Maybe you've encountered new information that challenges your beliefs, or perhaps life circumstances have left you questioning everything you thought you knew about God. If so, you're not alone. Today, I want to share a powerful framework that has revolutionized the way I think about faith and doubt.
The Order, Disorder, Reorder Framework
In every area of our lives, we experience seasons of order, disorder, and reorder. This cycle applies to our faith journey as well:
1. Order: When everything is as it should be
2. Disorder: When nothing is as it should be
3. Reorder: Living into a new normal
Let's explore this framework through the story of a woman named Lydia, found in Acts 16.
Lydia's Journey: From Order to Reorder
Order: A Life Put Together
We meet Lydia in Acts 16:14: "One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth who worshipped God." Lydia's life was in order. She was successful, independent, and faithful. Lydia has her life together. She's likely either never married or widowed because she's off doing her own thing. She's traveled to a city that was not her own, and she's working hard, and she's selling purple cloth.
Disorder: A Heart Opened
But then, something happened that disrupted Lydia's orderly life. Acts 16:14 continues, "As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying." This moment of spiritual transformation threw Lydia into disorder. She learned something new about Jesus and was forced to reckon with this new reality.
Everything that she thought she knew and had and was and was becoming was no longer. Because this teaching that she once held onto, she knew she needed to upgrade.
Reorder: A Life with Purpose
Lydia didn't stay in disorder. She moved into reorder, embracing a new reality. Acts 16:15 tells us, "She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests." Lydia's life went from being put together to having true purpose. She opened her heart, her life, and her home to this new faith in Jesus.
Navigating Your Own Faith Journey
So how can we apply this framework to our own lives? Here are two key steps:
1. Welcome Disruptions
Life is full of disruptions, especially for those of us who are parents. Moms do everything disrupted, don't they? They can't scroll on social media or send an email or cook dinner or get dressed or go to the bathroom without being disrupted.
But these disruptions can be opportunities for growth. When your faith is challenged or your life takes an unexpected turn, don't run from it. Welcome it as a chance to deepen your understanding and strengthen your faith.
2. Consider Your Questions and Upgrade
Don't be afraid to ask questions about your faith. As Adam Grant says in his book "Think Again," "We favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt." But growth often comes through discomfort.
What beliefs have you been allowing to collect dust? Maybe your belief is simply that you don't believe. Maybe it's time to be in the parentheses and to believe again because you've walked away from your faith.
Life Application: Putting It Into Practice
1. Identify Your Season: Are you in a time of order, disorder, or reorder in your faith journey?
2. Embrace Your Questions: Write down any doubts or questions you have about your faith. Don't shy away from the difficult ones.
3. Seek Answers: Look for resources, talk to trusted friends or mentors, and pray for guidance as you explore your questions.
4. Be Open to Change: Like Lydia, be willing to let God open your heart to new understandings and experiences.
Remember, as you navigate through order, disorder, and reorder, you're not alone. Jesus promises to be with you every step of the way. He walks alongside you. He promises his presence among you.
So embrace your doubts, ask your questions, and be open to how God might be leading you into a deeper, more purposeful faith.