Have you ever noticed life does not just take us in a straight line, there are times we seem to go in circles? I remember on a trip from the country, from our favorite swimming spot, Steve's dad told us a "shorter" route home. Our drive was already about a four hour drive, so sure, we would try out the new direction. This road was one big circle! This road may have been shorter, but ended up taking us five and half hours to get home. This road was so curvy, so hilly, and seemed like we just stayed in a circle forever, except for pulling over so the kids and I could throw up! (Never again did we take that crazy road) But doesn't life seem as though you are going no where except in one big circle at times? The more you try to get off the road, the more routes you seem to take, you are forever in this circle, wondering if you will ever get out. When my kids began drawing, one of the first things they did was draw circles, over and over and over the pages, something I realized today, all those circles they drew, all connected in one way or another. A circle can stand for our rings, a marriage forever. A circle is continuing, just as the planets circle the sun, God is forever moving them in sink together, under His mighty hand. Although we think those circles are taking us no where fast, they are connecting us one by one with the roads that Christ wants us to travel. Those roads might seem like they are never ending, and they might not be fun at the time, but if you look back, you can see your trail, and my bet is without a doubt, you were never alone on that road. Whenever we are feeling as though we are not moving, and we cannot get out of the circle, stand still, stand quiet, look around, and you will see the steps the Lord has taken with you. Sometimes we are in the inside of that circle, sometimes outside, and yes, there are times we are riding that fine line around and around, but we must take our eyes off the circle and look at the trail that led us there, and pray about just where it is leading us. Just because the road might be shorter and quicker, doesn't mean that is the road you should be on, sometimes its those long, winding roads that teach us the most, that show us just what we are made of and point us to a closer relationship with Jesus. So the next time you feel as though your stuck in a circle, just step out of it for a moment, open your eyes beyond what you see, and focus on what the Lord is trying to get you to see~ Psalm 46:10a "Be still, and know that I am God."
