Over the course of 2020 and starting into 2021, we’ve been privileged to deal with chaos. It could be worse. It could be better. It has been sort of an unraveled display of mankind’s depravity. Maybe chaos is too strong of a word, the world has done worse; it will do worse. Maybe considering it a privilege is also too much. Then again, such activity serves the divine purpose of drawing near those who are His.

Even if the riotous activities are far from our own front door, they have a bearing on each of us. The national impact of so many difficulties will be talked of for years to come. Even if things return to normal, I pray that one thing wouldn’t—the church.

The protracted upheaval has led many to take stock in their faith. The privilege of chaos has been, and may it ever be, that followers of Christ recognize a universal truth—this world is not our home. We are aliens, foreigners, exiles, and sojourners. What a privilege to have a set of mild circumstances to remind the flock of God that we are merely passing through, and it is God’s purpose for His people to make much of Him on the way through.

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

(1 Peter 1:6–7, ESV)