Ripples When Order is Imposed

Any student of God’s Word is aware that, over the course of history, God has felt the need to do a sort of re-set from time to time. Some of these are relatively subtle but some, like the Great Flood, for instance, are pretty extreme.

God considers these to be necessary because He loves order.

“…God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:33 - NKJV)

In this verse, the word “peace” brings with it the idea of order and things being brought back to order.

EVERY time this happens people experience stress…sometimes GREAT stress. Sometimes they suffer. At times, whole nations suffer for a season as order is gradually restored.

God allows humans to suffer but it takes a toll on Him too:

“…the LORD said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.’” (Exodus 3:7 - NKJV)

…and…

“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 - NKJV)

So, we know that God allows suffering. Later, we will see some of the benefits of human discomfort and suffering. God allows it but He doesn’t initiate all suffering. Man does that most often.

Most often suffering comes from war, wanton destruction and general sinfulness. Some suffering comes from the establishment or reestablishment of order.

Our nation is currently in the beginning stages of a season in which order is being restored to all areas overseen by our federal government. There have been many, many Presidents in office who did not address the disorder in place in the governmental system. The current President has decided to bring order to the disorder he sees in our current governmental systems.

It’s a daunting task, to say the least. The Federal Government is immense and consists of billions of people, including the 80,000 new jobs added in 2023. So, this is a herculean undertaking, made more so by the current President’s blitz of it all. He is attempting to bring order to many areas of disorder all at once.

As always, there will be some who despise the current President and will allow their bias to color whatever he does, as well as determine their REACTION to what he does (or what they perceive him to be doing.) At the same time, there will be some who applaud the President and what he is doing and will allow their own biases to determine how they respond to him and how they evaluate what he does (or what they perceive him to be doing.)

Then there will be those VERY few who will try to get God’s perspective on it all and allow Him to direct their response to both what he is doing and to the reactions to it all. I hope to be in this group.

However, the truth is that no one is unbiased in these matters…even if we strive to be.

Now, the reason for writing this is not to address the current President. I mention him because he is on the mind of many in the USA and is recognized as someone who is bringing change (which EVERY President in my memory has promised). And, as always is the case, these changes are bringing discomfort to many.

Some, anticipating the worst and perhaps even amplifying the stress by how they manage it in their souls, are predicting that they will suffer from the changes which occur when it is all said and done. We’ll see, in time, how that all falls out.

I posted something recently on FaceBook that I thought was important enough to share:

“The one who brings order to disorder isn’t to blame for the discomfort of adjustment. It’s the fault of those who instituted the disorder or who tolerated it as ‘the way it’s always been.’”

I say this because, when dealing with inevitable change, the point is not labelling someone to find fault – no matter what we think about whoever initiates it.

Change is inevitable and hard times are part of that. We’ll look at this passage deeper later in this piece but look at what James says here:

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials…” (James 1:2 - NASB)

James says “when” and not “if”. And, really, even though James addresses this to believers, I think it is a humanity issue and not just a Christian issue. Change happens all the time and with change comes discomfort…maybe even suffering.

Therefore, in the most basic way, it doesn’t matter who, in the earthly sense, is initiating the changes which result in our discomfort or even suffering. What matters is what we do with those.

Will we resist the change, even if it is initiated by someone who is an authority God would recognize? Or will we embrace the change…“consider it all joy”…even though it might somehow mean suffering? Or will we rise above the earthly and handle whatever it is as eternal spiritual beings and full members of the family of God?

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - NKJV)

Will we praise God for the trial? Most people won’t because its hard to do that AND resist the inevitable changes that come with most trials.

There are two decisions we must all make concerning undeniable change that is destined to happen: 1) will we resist or cooperate with the change? And, 2) how will we react to the change?

God gave me an image about those who resist inevitable change.

Do you know why some earthquakes seem to be relatively mild while some are devastating? It all has to do with the degree of resistance one plate offers to the movement that is destined to happen.

Earthquakes occur when one tectonic plate (a part of the earth’s outer crust) moves against an adjacent plate. Now there are many kinds of movement but for our illustration we are using what is called a strike-slip fault as an example.

These faults happen when there is horizontal movement between a stationary plate and a plate that is in transition. The key thing to understand is that the amount of movement WILL happen. Nothing on the earth can stop it. So, whether the plates are destined to move 6 inches or 6 feet…they WILL move.

Most of the time the movement is fluid. Sometimes no one even realizes an earthquake has occurred. The devastating ones happen when there is RESISTANCE to the movement that is inevitable.

As the two plates resist the change, pressure builds between the two. The higher the pressure becomes the more dramatic the results will be once the movement happens. If the pressure builds up, there will come the time when the movement happens and instead of a series of small movements…there will be a SUDDEN and violent movement.

This is when bridges fall and buildings crumble. This is when human lives discernably change. This is when no one can deny that inevitable change HAS happened.

In the same way, there are times in life when change is inevitable and it becomes a crisis in the lives of many mostly because they choose to resist the change. Even if they know the change is inevitable and that the end results may be wonderful, they will resist.

There can be many reasons people resist change: philosophical or political differences with the ones initiating change, loyalty to the status quo, fear of what the change will bring, etc. Sometimes it can be some mixture of any of these.

As mere humans, we usually lack the power to avert the change or to even affect how it occurs. At any rate, the change WILL happen and, I believe, when people resist it they sometimes cause the inevitable impact it has on THEM to be much more severe than it had to be.

Often, there are multiple layers of people that the shock waves of change will pass through before it gets to us. This is equally true whether those waves are a government or a corporate structure or just levels of other people. All organizations consist of levels of humans and a shockwave can affect each individual and, therefore, each level in multiple ways.

By the time it gets to us we must be wary that it can affect us too. Then, our reaction won’t be purely to the actions of the one who initiated. Rather, they will be a reaction to the initial change AND the cumulative reactions of everyone between us and the start of the change. Add to that any bias we might have toward the person(s) initiating the crisis and we have quite a pile to sort through in order to grapple with the change.

The day I started reasoning through all this I noticed there was a tsunami warning all along the Pacific coastline of California and part of Oregon. Thankfully, it was lifted later in the day.

A tsunami begins when an underwater earthquake or volcano eruption occurs and sometimes huge waves can result. This is because of the nature of water: water molecules can become excited by one another and that causes the waves to become larger and larger.

I mention this because this is similar to what happens when news and conjecture about possible changes ripples through layers of people before it gets to us. Sometimes their collective reactions seem tsunami-like to us. If we’re not careful and if we do not have our foundation in something stronger, we can get swept up in it and become just the latest layer to be devastated by it all. If not, “great will be our fall”:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27 - NKJV)

Since most people are lost and since most of the ones who are born again still trust the things of the earth instead of Jesus as their foundation, almost everyone’s foundation is “sand” rather than “the rock” (the Lord). So, when stresses come in…it affects them more negatively than those who trust the Lord and see His hand in all things.

Earlier I said that there are two decisions we must all make concerning undeniable change that is destined to happen. We looked at the first one: 1) will we resist or cooperate with the change? Now, we’ve looking at the second one: 2) how will we react to the change?

Both decisions require prior thought and consideration. Yet, most people choose to wait until a crisis hits before they try to grapple with it. By then, emotions are usually high and it’s hard to address them with logic. So, instead of RESPONDING most people REACT to the stimulus…plus all the reactions of people between the initiator of change and them.

When I posted my comments about change on FaceBook a friend, Russell, weighed in. He wrote one of the most beautiful statements about our right to decide how to deal with what might be traumatic changes which come into our lives:

“No one wants to be thrown in a furnace or a lion’s den or any other place of fear and confusion. But when we are...we have every right to choose faith and love.” (Russell Weaver)

You know, with the current efforts to bring order to the disorder in our government, many are affected by how it impacts people they love. I know several who either work for the U.S. government or depend on the U.S. government for benefits. As one who has the compassion of Jesus, their angst has an effect on me too. If you love others, that is normal to experience.

So, even if you aren’t directly affected by changes in our nation as order is imposed on disorder, you may very well be affected through others. What will YOU choose when someone does something that affects you and others you love?

We don’t simply fall into what is best for us, you know. Therefore, such a decision requires intention. So, I implore us to make good, well informed and prayerful decisions about our responses to any stresses which may come our way.

No piece about suffering would be complete without addressing the BENEFITS of suffering. Of course, this will be better understood by believers who have Holy Spirit dwelling in them.

According to the New Testament, suffering can often be a tool for spiritual growth and maturity. Romans 5:1-5 teaches us this:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5 – NKJV)

James also says this:

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 – NASB)

Both Paul and James knew that the stresses God allows to come to us are intended by Him to accomplish a process inside us in which the completed state would be much better than our former pre-stress state. It’s important that we recognize and receive this so that the stresses do not become all we think about.

There is something for us BEYOND what is happening to us now.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2 - NKJV)

It’s important that we take the Psalmist’s example to heart so we might benefit in times of trouble:

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills— from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.” (Psalm 121:1-3)

Our help will not come from the earthy plane – which includes ourselves. Lasting help can ONLY come from the Lord.

Finally, I would like to offer some practical ideas on things we can do that might help us through stressful times:

1. TIME. Whatever is happening has only been happening a short while. The start is always fraught with unknowns which cause people to fall prey to vain imaginations – lots of cognitive distortion reigns – especially among those who consider themselves to be victims.

2. FAITH – in the Lord. The govt., the economy, our pocketbooks…are not our Source of provision and protection. God is.

3. LOOK for order and decide if you will cooperate with it...or fight it...no matter what your political or philosophical beliefs. Change is inevitable.

4. REMEMBER what Paul said about government (and all authority structures):

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2 - NKJV)

5. PRAY – for those in charge and for those being affected. Pray more than you talk about what’s happening.

6. LOVE – those you agree with and, especially, those you consider to be your enemies. We ALL need wisdom in times like this. Hatred will prevent us from harvesting that from our loving God.

I hope this has been encouraging and directs us all to the Lord. It has been written in love and humility. I’ve very aware that I have not arrived spiritually. However, I sense the Lord has done a work in me and, in that sense, I am better than I used to be and not as well off as I hope to be as this spiritual journey continues.

I pray the same is true of you.

“Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.” (Ephesians 6:23-24 - NKJV)

Pastor Mike McInerney

Mike McInerney Ministries, Inc.

© March 3, 2025  

(for use with permission)