WHAT’S CONFUSED IN YOUR LIFE?

WHAT'S CONFUSED IN YOUR LIFE?   Have you ever been so confused about something that it literally made you sick? Has confusion clouded your judgment? Many women mask their pain of confusion to the world. They put on makeup and a stoic face. They don a smart-looking outfit and a matching demeanor. They sip their coffee and zip their lips, never daring to let on that they are creatures of confusion.     Go ahead and admit today that there is something in your life that confuses you. It will set you free from that world of secrets and invite God's clarity and purpose. One bit of advice: Until God speaks, wait to take action.     CONFUSION REIGNS SUPREME!     What's your greatest area of confusion? Is it whether to be an entrepreneur, how to deal with coworker cliques, when to downsize for retirement, or how to stop the grumbling in your ministry? Does your confusion have to do with your medical debt, waning spirituality, management style, life balance, or time-consuming hobby? Do you wonder where you are supposed to plant seeds of faith, how to de-clutter your home and garage, or what to do about someone who is slandering you?     Are you confused about a love relationship; a child's mysterious, lingering illness; or a career move? Are you confused about who to trust, what to do next, or why you were blamed for something? Anita Renfroe, a retreat worship leader and humorist, is a self-proclaimed confused woman!     ANITA RENFROE DOES THE DAILY-NESS DANCE WITH CONFUSION     Anita is a comedian, songwriter, and artist who uses comedy to spread the joy of Jesus, touching the funny bone on her way to the heart. She calls herself a party waiting for a place to happen. She takes God very seriously, although she sees his humor everywhere! (She says, "Just focus on noses for a while—you'll see it too.") She rarely takes herself seriously.     Her calling is to get people to uncross their twisted-pretzel arms, unlock their tightly guarded emotions, and laugh at themselves. Anita says, "It's then that the Holy Spirit can break down the walls that divide us from each other and from God."     What's confused in Anita's life? She laughs, "What's not confused? Life, love, balance—I can't see my way clear on any of those issues! They seem to be in a tangle." Yet for Anita, this is a career plus, because all the things she feels confused about are fodder for her comedy. She understands how other people who don't have such a strange slant on life might find the confusion all too overwhelming, but she just grabs a microphone and talks about it.     She says, "Confusion is a direct result of the Fall. Up until then, life was, oh, so simple—so sparkling clear. Now we're all just trying to machete our way through the thicket that is this post-Eden, pre-Heaven, Earth-life. I am learning that, although God is not the author of confusion, he often uses the confusion in my life, so that I will listen more closely for his voice, examine more intently my past missteps, and appreciate more completely his peace that is only truly apparent in the middle of my muddle. I do strive, believe it or not, to stay in his presence, the only place where confusion is not a given on this confusing planet. Of course, since Earth is not our real home, the confusion makes us aliens and foreigners, who look all the more forward to arriving Home."     What's Confused in Your Life? Simon of Cyrene Was Confused     Can you imagine the confusion of Simon of Cyrene, a man from North Africa who was conscripted at random by Roman guards to help Jesus carry his cross to Golgotha? Simon may still be saying, "And just how did that happen?" Read Mark 15:21. When have you found yourself saying, "And just how did that happen?" or "What am I supposed to do about that?"     SCRIPTURE TO PONDER     If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)     SUGGESTED PRAYER     Dear Lord God, I, _________, lack wisdom and I ask you, who gives generously to all without finding fault, to fill me with wisdom. Your Word promises that you will do that for me. I thank you for reminding me that I'm not alone in this life quandary and that your light will clear up my confusion. Help me hear your voice, your wisdom, your truth.     So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?

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