Finding peace in chaos

Since March 2020, life as many persons knew it, has not been the same. The onslaught of the wretched COVID-19 pandemic has caused many to face some very challenging and sometimes chaotic situations including sickness and even death of loved ones, job loss, pay cut, extra expenses for goods and services – enough to drive anyone crazy if they are not mentally fortified.

Motivational speaker and evangelist from the Old Harbour Church of Christ Paul A. Blake shared with Family and Religion that in the midst of chaos, persons can still keep their sanity and even enjoy peace.

Commenting on the importance of taking care of one’s mental health, Blake said our minds are working overtime trying to find balance while doing their best to safeguard the future.

“The windmill of anxiety keeps turning, and most of us are swinging hopelessly on the blades, uncertain how to make it all stop. We long for peace in this chaos, but nothing works, and we sink deeper into despair, desperately seeking a lifeboat to take us out of the mess,” he said as he noted that for many persons, it is hard for them to move from just existing to living fulfilled lives.

According to Blake, they are so beaten down by life’s stressors that some even end up taking it out on their loved ones. Children become confused; spouses start reacting to the treatment being meted out to them as a result of the stress, and before you know it, Blake said, you have a dysfunctional family.

The solution to living in a blissful home, he advised, is to make the environment free from all the chaos that is happening around.

“Peace, happiness, and wholeness can be ours if we learn how to protect our minds from the chaos. We must stop accepting brokenness, anxiety, depression, and other mental-health issues as normal. Many of us have inherited chaos and wear it like a badge of honour, not realising how unhealthy we really are. The road to a healthier state of mind is shorter than we think, but it begins with recognising that we have the power to change our mindset,” Blake said.

For him, finding peace in the midst of chaos is very important as a confused, cluttered mind can be a deterrent to peace in the home. He said to achieve peace, persons must learn how to manage their minds in the same way they learn to manage their careers, familie and all the other things that are important to them.

“Peace in chaos happens when we master the art of decluttering our minds. Many of our minds are like an old house with faulty wiring, ancient furniture, and fixtures that are frozen in time. Our negative thoughts, actions, relationships, and memories control all aspects of our lives, often leaving us feeling helpless,” he noted.

Citing a biblical example, Blake highlighted the apostle Paul’s situation of being locked up in a Roman prison. His positive attitude saw him penning several letters in the New Testament.

Blake quoted a line from the late singer Robert Nesta Marley’s Redemption Song – “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds” − as he stressed that peace will only come when our perspectives are changed and we visualise ourselves rising above the chaos and finding the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

“Chaos is not our friend, but peace is a welcome companion. It takes work to achieve it, but it is certainly worth the effort,” Blake said.