The Sacred Pattern of Inner Growth: Order, Disorder, and Reorder

It’s the pattern of growth, of transformation, of becoming:

Order,
Disorder, and
Reorder.

Richard Rohr describes this as the necessary journey of human and spiritual development. 

At first, we construct a world that makes sense—Order. 

Then, something shakes that world apart—Disorder. 

And if we push gently against the disorder by incorporating new or abandoned spiritual practices, we emerge into something deeper, wiser, and more complete—Reorder.

 We see this pattern everywhere. It’s the arc of great stories, the cycle of nature, the transformation of the soul.

It’s the Vision Quest in Indigenous traditions, where one leaves behind the familiar to seek deeper truth.

It’s the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, showing us that nothing is ever truly lost.

It’s consolation and desolation in Ignatian spirituality, the ebb and flow of God’s presence in our awareness.

While the pattern is universal, living it is deeply personal.

Order: When Life Feels Secure

We typically start in a place of Order.

This is the stage where life makes sense. We have rules, structures, beliefs, and routines that give us a sense of stability. As children, we rely on the guidance of parents, teachers, and communities. As adults, we build careers, relationships, and spiritual frameworks that help us navigate the world.

There is comfort in Order. It feels safe. Predictable. It gives us identity—this is who I am, this is how life works, this is what I believe.

 For a long time, I thought faith was about certainty. I had answers to life’s big questions, and those answers gave me a sense of security. I thought if I did the right things, prayed the right prayers, and followed the right path, everything would unfold the way it was supposed to.

And for a while, that worked. Until it didn’t.

Because life has a way of moving us forward, whether we want it to or not.

Disorder: When Life Falls Apart

Disorder is the breaking apart of our false ego and what we thought was true.

It’s when the foundation cracks, and we’re left wondering with questions like:

What’s real?
Who am I?
Who or where is God?

Sometimes, Disorder comes through external events—a loss, a betrayal, a failure, a shift that shakes our identity.

Other times, it happens internally—a slow unraveling, a questioning, a restlessness that tells us we need to change if we want to grow.

For me, one of my seasons of Disorder came when my intellectual understanding about God wasn’t working for me anymore. God felt distant. Out there. I couldn’t connect with a sterile mental image of who I thought God was. What once felt solid crumbled beneath me. And in that space of uncertainty, I felt lost.

With the help of a spiritual mentor, I realized God was inviting me to deepen my relationship with him through daily meditation.  And so, I began what I call my Quiet Time practice, sitting silently with God, listening, pondering, seeking to hear God’s Voice of love and wisdom. My Quiet Time practice has led me over the years to not only know God intellectually but also to experience God on the inside—in my heart. I now experience God as the Holy Spirit leading me, guiding me, and reminding me of who I am.

Our Resistance to Disorder Is Normal

It’s tempting to resist Disorder. To cling to what was, to try to force things back into their original shape.

But as Rohr reminds us, Disorder isn’t a mistake—it’s a necessary part of growth.

Think about the great spiritual traditions:

The Vision Quest in Indigenous cultures forces a person into solitude, away from the safety of their tribe, to wrestle with the unknown.

Jesus’ Passion and Death—even Christ Himself cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” before stepping into new life.

Ignatian Desolation is the experience of spiritual dryness when God feels distant, yet transformation is quietly at work beneath the surface.

Disorder feels like the end, but in reality, it’s an opening. It’s an invitation to something deeper.

Reorder: The Gift of Transformation

And then, if we do the Inner Work to grow, Reorder comes.

Reorder isn’t about going back to the way things were—it’s about stepping forward into something new.

It’s the moment we realize what we once saw as the whole truth was just a fragment of a much bigger picture.

It’s embracing a deeper wisdom—one that makes space for uncertainty, leads with compassion, and is firmly grounded in love.

Reorder is resurrection.

When Jesus rose, he wasn’t just “back to normal.” He was transformed. He walked through suffering and emerged into a deeper reality. The disciples didn’t just get their teacher back; they were changed by what they experienced.

Reorder is when we begin to live from our True Self rather than the egoic self.

It’s when we let go of the need for control, the need to prove ourselves, the need to have all the answers.

For me, Reorder didn’t happen all at once. It came in quiet moments of surrender; in realizing I didn’t need to “fix” myself but simply cooperate with grace and allow myself to be transformed. I began to understand and accept that God is not found in certainty, but in the mystery.

And here’s the thing—this cycle doesn’t just happen once.

We move through it again and again in different areas of our lives. Just when we think we’ve arrived, life invites us deeper.

Listen for the Still Small Voice of Love

In the pattern of Order, Disorder, and Reorder we learn that beneath all the noise, beneath all the fear, there is a still, small voice that says: “You are my Beloved. My favor rests on you.”

You don’t have to earn it. You don’t have to prove it. It’s already true.

Trust the journey. Trust the breaking. Trust the becoming.

You are Being Made New

Scripture says, “See, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

As you move through life, trust that as you listen to the Still Small Voice of Love and follow it as best as you can, you are evolving, becoming.

Even in the uncertainty, even in the breaking, even when you cannot yet see the fullness of what is unfolding—trust these truths:

New life is already emerging within you.

The hands of the Divine are shaping you, gently and lovingly, into something more whole, more radiant, more genuine.

Rest in that promise. Walk forward in faith.

You are being made new.

—brian j plachta
https://blog.brianplachta.com

 Try this practice this week

Take a moment to be still.

Pause. Breathe. Reflect.

Ask yourself: Where am I in the cycle of order, disorder, reorder?

Am I in a season of Order?

Does life feel structured, predictable, safe?

Am I in a season of Disorder?

Does life feel uncertain, chaotic, like the ground is shifting beneath you?

Am I in a season of Reorder?

Are you beginning to see the beauty that has emerged from what once felt like loss?

Wherever you are, trust the process.

If you are in Order, be grateful for the stability. Keep doing what you’re doing because it’s working. You’re experiencing the fruits of the Spirit: peace, love, and joy.

If you are in Disorder, know you are not alone—this is the birthplace of transformation. Gently push against the Disorder by adopting new spiritual practices or returning to those practices that in the past
worked for you to grow.

(Check out Chapter 19 in my Finding Flow book if you need some ideas.)

And if you are in Reorder, carry the wisdom you’ve gained and walk forward with an open heart. Look over your shoulder and see how you and God have worked together to grow ever more deeply into your True Self.

Get Into the Divine Flow

With 2 More Tools for Your Spiritual Toolbox:

 Finding Flow: Spiritual Practices To Reclaim Inner Peace, Balance, and Wholeness  

Click here to get your copy

Spirituality on the Go Podcast

Episode 9: The Power of Stillness. 

Feeling overwhelmed by life’s busyness? It’s time to be still.

In this episode of Spirituality on the Go, we explore the power of stillness—why it matters, how it heals, and how you can practice it in just a few moments each day.

Click here to listen

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