There’s a lot going on around us these days.

Which makes me think there’s a lot going on within us.

A lot of hurting and chaos and discord.

A lot of gray.

A lot of confusion.

We’re being pulled in a million directions, in our heads, in our hearts, in our schedules, in our relationships, in our values, in our goals, in our families, in the news, in our beliefs, in our doctrine, in our commitments to walk closely with our God.

I can’t quite put my finger on what I want.

Wait, yes I can.

A spiritual roadmap.

If this, then go here. If that, then go there.

I want the answers.

I want to make sense of this chaos I’m seeing and hearing and feeling.

I want to have a clear, defined position for the questions or conflicts I perceive.

I want a plan.

I want to tie up my feelings, beliefs, and opinions with a pretty little bow.

I want to make my walk with Christ clean and scripted.

I want the Bible to be a decision tree for my life.

I do, I do.

But what about the gray or uncertainty, where the Bible does not particularly lay out a predetermined solution?

How can anyone navigate the gray or uncertainty this life regularly presents?

But Jesus.

But Jesus within us, by virtue of the Holy Spirit.

Only in Christ can your nonsense delicately come together for direction, for purpose, for good.

This only makes more fervent the daily movement and discretion of the Holy Spirit within us–fueled by time with God, His Word, and His body of believers.

Without this, we bob about this life, vacillating between highs and lows of news headlines, relational turmoil, disappointments, painful experiences, mistakes or crossroads we encounter.

Only through Jesus can murky opportunities mandating discretion become abundantly clear.

Only in Jesus can a convoluted path become straight before our feet.

Jesus is the perfect balance in the sea of gray swirling around us.

The balance in–

protection and sacrifice

disagreement and unity

kindness and righteous anger

criticism and compassion

confusion and peace

gentleness and boldness

duty and love

planning and surrender

reality and trust

responsibility and forgiveness

grief and hope

grace and truth

In Christ, the foregoing are not dichotomous, or mutually exclusive.

Christ is the perfect, intricate balance of these complexities.

Christ within us.

Christ, working it out through us.

Gray and uncertainty come at us from all sides, every day.

If left to ourselves, we surely will teeter on extremes, always employing protection at the expense of sacrifice, causing disagreement devoid of unity, exhibiting righteous anger without kindness, delivering criticism empty of compassion, wallowing in confusion at the expense of peace, promoting gentleness to pacify boldness, undertaking duty devoid of love, incessantly planning and never surrendering, choosing reality instead of trust, demanding responsibility before forgiveness, owning grief at the sacrifice of hope, professing truth uninformed by grace.

Danger lies in navigating these complexities on our own.

But Jesus.

How can anyone properly respond to the delicate balances this life entails?

But Jesus.

How does anyone employ the discretion that gray or uncertain circumstances require?

But Jesus.

If you’re seeing gray or confusion all around you, go to Jesus, the giver of a sound mind.

And if you don’t know whose side to choose, go to Jesus, the embodiment of grace and truth.

And if you’re only hearing more questions, go to Jesus, who holds all things together.

And if you’re exhausted from trying to tie up your mess with a pretty bow, go to Jesus, the renewer of strength.

And if you’re forced to pick a position or make a decision, go to Jesus, the maker of straight paths before you.

Go now.

Go quickly.

Go to Jesus.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 (NIV).

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV).

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:7 (NIV).

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17 (NIV).

“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NLT).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5,6 (NIV).

In honor of one of my favorite holidays (ahem, ahem, Valentine’s Day), isn’t this mug from my mama just darling?

And truthful.

And my Drew knows it, which is why he sometimes suprises me with Starbucks on Saturday mornings. 😉

Swoon.

Much love to you,

Paige