The Second Law of Thermodynamics at Work in Our Playroom

by Diana Ayers

I have been thinking about life prior to the fall, since immersed in a study of Genesis. God states that it was all very good. This means life worked in a perfect harmony. In scientific terms God created systems of things: systems such as our cells, our environment, our bodies, and the food chain. Everything is built as an organized system; this is how God created it from the beginning and intended to be even to this day.

Beginning of the End

When the fall happened, when sin entered the world, things began to fall into disarray. The perfection of the systems that were created descended into chaos. Not just our minds and our actions were effected by sin, but each and every system in our world. Our body systems began deterioration, as demonstrated by things such as cancer, our environment as shown in things such as hurricanes, and our food chain in things such as lions eating us and instead of how God intended it, for us to have dominion over the them.
This brings to mind the second law of thermodynamics. If you’re not familiar with the Second Law of Thermodynamics (or it has been too long since you were physics class), it states that entropy of an isolated system always increases. Putting this into a common, everyday example, it means if one is not constantly cleaning a room, it becomes more and more messy over time.
It’s important to note this is not a some random statement or a proposed theory. This is a law in science, always consistent, and therefore not up for debate. This means that it is tried-and-true: if you test this out 100 times, then 100 times entropy will increase in an isolated system. And “isolated” means without outside help. In other words, there is nothing actively and continually working to bring order to it.

An Ever-Present God

God originally created these perfect systems. Once sin entered, so did the continued increase of entropy. The amazing thing is that a loving God is constantly, actively bringing order to every system: in us, in nature, in our minds, and our bodies. He is a present God. He is a God of perfect order, and we need him even more than we realize, because we are in a system of constant drift to chaos. If he were hands-offs then we would have already destroyed ourselves.
Sometimes God lets this chaos increase. He is not causing this entropy, it is already exists because of our sin. Often in our personal lives, such as my own painful childhood, when things continued to get worse and worse, and it felt like chaos, the increase of entropy is palpable! Sometimes God lets the entropy increase until the chaos and pain seems so dark, so messy, that the layers of destruction don’t seem possible to remove. Because in our own efforts though we try, and I did try, I was helpless. Then in His divine grace he starts to help you slowly clean up the mess.

Divine Home Makeovers

I think of it like cleaning up my toddler‘s room, since this seems to be a daily part of my life these days! First we built a foundation for organization – everything has a place. When I’m cleaning up my toddler‘s room I use cubbies so that I can clearly see each item. I put in only a clean, neat item with all of its pieces back on the shelf. This is what God does – he brings clarity from your past, he picks each one up and cleans it off, makes it fresh, covered by his blood and forgiveness, which only he can do. Then he labels it and puts it on your shelf. He illuminates it, clear to see, and easy to use when needed.

Each item he makes open and honest, and slowly as you revisit the pain, you are matched with the peace and clarity, forgiveness and grace.
He doesn’t label it “pain” or “stuff to suppress”. He labels it things you couldn’t see without his understanding such as, “Help others who have suffered abuse” or “Love and take care of children who are lost”. God gives you an understanding for others you couldn’t possibly have had without having suffered this chaos. It is when you are able to help others confront their pain and begin healing that he finally begins to start to answer the question you’ve asked yourself at least million times, the question “Why me?” Trying to do this without God is like when my child tries to clean up a mess. He usually pushes it around for a while, until it’s hidden under the couch or in a corner. If you try and clean up your mess without God, you label things wrong, such as “Pain! Do not open!” and you’ll shove them in a dark corner.

I’ve learned that if you do nothing with your story, your pain, your chaos, the pain just continues in your heart – the entropy increases. It doesn’t decrease because you’ve hidden it, it only gets more chaotic and creeps into more places of your life. No good is coming from it and evil is winning the battle.

Living life with sin, things will get messy again – the entropy will always increase. Fortunately we are comforted with the fact that in such a world of chaos we have a present God continually creating the order we desire and need. We are limited and can’t achieve it without him, but with joy in my heart, I recognize that the truth is He never wanted me to do it alone in the first place.

“For I the LORD your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord], Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.”
‭‭ISAIAH‬ ‭41:13‬ ‭AMP‬‬

For more thoughtful devotionals see patience and marriage.

Diana Ayers has a B.S. in Biomedical Science and is taking a break from her Master’s studies in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to explore God’s world with her three year old son, at least the parts of creation involving bugs and mud puddles.