When Grace Meets the Chaos

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." — Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV) 

This morning wasn’t it. I woke up too hot, already tangled in the weight of everything I had to do. My to-do list felt like it stretched into next week, and my air fryer—my lifesaver for cooking bacon—was broken. Bacon! I needed that small joy to make this morning bearable, and even that was too much to ask. 

The day didn’t wait for me to catch up. My job recently shifted my schedule, throwing my rhythm completely off. What used to feel manageable now felt like a mess I couldn’t sort out. It was like the clock itself was mocking me, rushing me along when I didn’t even feel ready to start. By the time I got in my car, I was already running late, and my frustration hit a boiling point. 

I wanted to be present for my kids, to pour into them, to remind them to carry light into the world. I said the words because I needed to say them, but my heart? It wasn’t there. My own light felt dim—flickering, barely hanging on. And before I knew it, I was crying—no, ugly crying—in the driver’s seat. Tears and snot mixing together as my spirit bubbled over. 

God, I don’t want to! The words came spilling out, raw and unfiltered. I don’t want to do this today. I don’t want this schedule, this job, this stress. My spirit threw a tantrum—bigger than either of my kids ever dared to throw. I was tired, drained, and completely undone. 

But even in my mess, God met me. He didn’t rush me or scold me. He didn’t ask why I couldn’t handle it better. Instead, He waited. He sat with me on the floor of my spirit and let me cry it out, let me feel every ounce of frustration and overwhelm. And then, when I was ready, He reminded me. I’m still here. I’m still good. 

It didn’t change my schedule. It didn’t magically fix the air fryer or give me back the lost minutes. But somehow, His patience steadied me. His presence held me up. 

Here’s the thing: I was so quick to pray for my child, to encourage my friends, to pour out love for everyone else. But when it came to trusting God with my own worries, I hesitated. Why is it so easy to hand over other people’s struggles, but so hard to give Him my own? And yet, He’s faithful anyway. He shows up in the chaos, in the mess, in the lateness and the tears. He doesn’t just walk with us when life is flowing smoothly—He meets us when it’s all falling apart. 

So, as I sat there, late and still a little salty about the bacon, I whispered, Thank You, Lord. Thank You for sitting with me when I’m falling apart. Thank You for waiting for me to catch my breath. Thank You for being my strength when I’m so clearly not enough. 

Maybe you’ve had mornings like this—mornings when everything seems off and you feel like you can’t catch a break. If that’s you, let me remind you of this: God is still there. He’s still waiting for you, patient and steady, ready to carry what you can’t. And when you finally let it go, you’ll find that His grace is enough to get you through—even when the air fryer isn’t working. 

Let us pray: 

Heavenly Father, 

We come before You today, hearts open and humbled by Your presence. Lord, we bring every burden, every frustration, and every piece of our weary spirits to You. Some days feel too heavy to bear, and yet You remind us that we don’t have to carry it alone. Thank You for being the God who meets us in the mess, the One who waits patiently when we’re struggling to hold it together. 

Father, today we ask for Your peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding, to fill our hearts and minds. Calm the storms in our lives and settle the chaos in our souls. Give us the strength to trust You with the things that feel out of control, and the faith to believe that You are working all things together for our good. 

Lord, when we feel like giving up, remind us of Your grace. When we are overwhelmed, remind us of Your promise to give rest to the weary. When we feel broken, remind us of Your unfailing love. Teach us to lean into You, not just with our words but with our whole hearts. 

Father, we thank You for walking with us, for holding us up when we feel like falling, and for never letting us go. Help us to be a light, even when our own light feels dim. Strengthen us to pour into others from the overflow of Your love. 

We surrender this day, this moment, and all that we are into Your hands. Have Your way in us and through us. In Jesus’ mighty name, we pray. 

Amen.