Going in Circles

By Jan Moser

Earlier this year, Richard and I were staying in a nice hotel, staffed by dedicated people. But they could not help us with what was keeping us awake until 3 a.m. On a public road less than a mile from the hotel, dozens of motorcycles were circling ceaselessly and loudly for four hours. Local police came and went. We finally were able to sleep, but not very restfully before a five to six-hour drive home!

Aren’t our spiritual lives sometimes like that?  Even we longtime, mature Christians can get stuck and not make any progress in a situation or in our growth. We continue to have the same lack of faith in certain situations, the same frustrations, the same repeated prayer requests to trusted friends. Sometimes, the initial causes are out of our control; however, our responses ARE within our control-with God’s help! 

Let’s ask God to show us what we need to do, to break out of our circling, and to make progress on the path that He has provided for us. He is willing and ready to help us! And we can help our sisters and brothers, encouraging each other as God intended!

James 1:5-6, The Message

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NLT“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”