Finding Order in the Chaos: How Keeping the Commandments Keeps Us Grounded

Sometimes, when the world feels like it’s spinning off its axis—when the noise, the conflicting voices, or the sheer weight of modern life threatens to pull us apart—it’s easy to feel like we’re drifting. Like we’re just floating on a current we can’t see the source of.

I was thinking this week about that concept of entropy—the natural tendency toward disorder. It’s a powerful, almost scientific concept, but when you apply it spiritually, it hits you right where it counts. The natural state, without divine intervention, trends toward chaos. And brothers and sisters, we know what that chaos looks like when the Spirit is absent.

Elder Corbridge painted such a vivid picture when he spoke about the absence of the Spirit in a home. It wasn't just a quiet decline; it was a palpable increase in discord, a descent into a kind of spiritual entropy. It really drove home how profoundly blessed we are to have something *outside* of our own natural tendency.

The Divine Counter-Force

What's the antidote to entropy? What's the force that creates order out of the mess? It’s God. It’s the divine energy that organizes, that restores, that builds. Think about the creation narrative—the organization of the heavens, the division of day from night. It was an act of purposeful, divine order over potential chaos.

And then we look at the Plan of Salvation. Alma taught us that restoration requires everything to be brought back to its proper order. It’s a beautiful pattern, isn't it? We are always being called back to our proper order, back to the covenants we make.

This brings me to the core lesson: the commandments. They aren't just rules written on stone tablets; they are the divine blueprint for maintaining order in our individual lives, our families, and our wards. When we disregard a commandment—whether it’s bearing false witness, or failing to keep our covenants—we are essentially allowing spiritual entropy to take hold. We are choosing the drift.

As we continue our discipleship journey, remember that the covenant path is the path of order. It requires focused energy—the energy of the Spirit—to counteract the natural pull toward confusion. It’s not always easy to be vigilant, especially when the world around us seems to celebrate the very things that lead to disorder.

If you’re feeling the pull today, I invite you to anchor yourself in the principles. Don't let your spiritual life become a collection of random, unattached moments. Let it be a structure built on the rock of truth. Let it be a house of order, as the Lord commands.

If this talk resonated with you, I highly recommend listening to the full podcast episode for a deeper dive into this powerful concept.

For those of us who are preparing to enter the field, or who are newly returned, remember that the best preparation is consistent, daily study. If you're looking for ways to deepen your understanding of doctrine, check out the Book Club options in HolyPlaces. Or, if you’d rather tackle the tough questions head-on, I encourage you to use Davee! He’s ready to walk you through the hard questions an investigator might ask about the nature of chaos and divine order.

What commandment are you going to focus on this week to build order in your own life? Share your thoughts below, or better yet, join a local Bible Study Group to discuss it with your peers!