The antidote to spiritual confusion

Have you been struggling with spiritual confusion? You might want to consider the attributes of God. The more time Christians spend gaining an accurate and deep understanding of who God is, the less they will struggle with spiritual confusion. 

Selwyn Hughes speaks of this too in his devotion titled, ‘Confusion to Confidence’: 

“Long ago in ancient times, the skill of navigation depended on clear, well-defined points. The point could be a fixed star, a lighthouse, or a headland: something that could be relied upon to be there. Hence, a navigator could take his bearing and steer his course. He could not take his bearings from a cloud because clouds are vaporous and changing, and, in the course of time, clouds disappear. In the days before technology made crossing the oceans a much less difficult task, navigation was possible because of these clear and well-defined points. By constant reference to these points, sailors could find their way across the seas. 

The voyage of life is like that… we need to have fixed points from which to take a bearing. The attributes of God are such fixed points. God’s love, faithfulness, justice, purity, holiness, power, unchangeability, and His faultless judgments are the solid parts of his nature. The more we focus on these attributes, and the more we understand them, the safer our voyage across the sea of Life.”

Two attributes of our God — among so many others — have caught my attention deeply these days, namely, His unchangeability and His righteousness.

Never changing, ever just

Many things in this world are subject to change; not the character or nature of our God. If you’re battling confusion today, go back to this ever-reliable, never-changing character of God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God Himself says as much in Malachi 3:6 — “For I the Lord do not change…”

Hughes further notes:

“God always acts in accordance with what is right. He never acts unjustly or chaotically and everything he does, is in accordance with his own righteousness, revealed in the moral law implanted in the hearts of those he has made — although, of course, sin distorts that moral law or causes us to be selective in applying it. God is right in everything He does — no matter how things may seem. One vital aspect of God’s character is also that His judgments are impeccable (faultless), and ultimately always right. Only when we understand the full truth about God will we be able to accept what he does.”

When our view of God is superficial, the result will be a Christian who fails to grow in their faith, stuck in confusion

Consider these Scripture passages:

“For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4).

“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that He should do wrong. For according to the work of a man He will repay him, and according to His ways He will make it befall him. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice” (Job 34:10-12).

Clarity in confusion

We must be careful not to interpret God’s character by what we see, but rather, what we see by God’s character. It is only when we understand who God is that we will understand what He does. When our view of God is superficial, however, the result will be a Christian who fails to grow in their faith, stuck in confusion. 

So, if you’re experiencing a season of confusion right now, come back to this truth: God can do nothing contrary to His character. Meditate on His glorious attributes one by one — and you will begin to see things in their true and relative importance. Remember, in this journey of life, the child of God has the most reliable ‘fixed point’: the attributes of God. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we ask You to help us gain a deeper understanding of who You are. Guide us to a correct understanding of Your nature through Your Word. May we not be confused, Lord. May our understanding of You not be trivial, for You are the only unchanging, ever-righteous God. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.