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sbm SusanBottgerMinistries |
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Life is a series of cycles For those of us with a Western mindset, this is difficult to internalize. Our Western worldview is very linear. We process things in a step by step manner and there are distinct beginnings and endings to each step along the way. We want to have definitive ways or formulas for proceeding through life. We are convinced that if we can move from Point A to Point B, we are making progress toward our goals, and sooner or later we will reach our expected end. It’s a methodology that makes life seem easier and more controllable. As Western Christians, our worldview often carries over into our understandings of spiritual things. We may develop a plan of action for increasing our faith, studying scripture, or developing our Christian character. While wanting to experience spiritual growth through a planned agenda is commendable, these calculated efforts are often frustrated because spiritual growth is not always linear. Head knowledge is not synonymous with spiritual maturity. Just because we know the Word, or we’ve accomplished all the things on our spiritual to-do list, doesn’t mean that we’ve spiritually full-grown, or that we have internalized the importance of what God wants to teach us about him, or about ourselves. We don’t always get things right the first time we do them, so the Lord gives us many opportunities to practice and build our character as well as our maturity. Sometimes God takes us through a series of similar events or familiar situations in order to help us progress to the next level of maturity. I call this coming, “Full Circle.” God’s Progressive Cycles While we tend prefer linear order, God frequently works in a cyclical manner. Let’s look at how God expressed himself through creation, for example. From the moment God spoke life into existence, creation began working its way through the natural phases for which it was intended. All living things work their way through the cycles of birth, life, and death. Eventually, they all come full circle, back to their place of origin. There, life can begin anew. When nature is viewed as a whole, it shows itself to be an amazing, almost seamless intermingling of one, never ending cycle. It’s like watching a group of runners in a relay. As soon as the starter has fired off the signal to begin, the lead runner uses every stride to get to their designated mark, and effortlessly hand off the baton to the next runner who will do the same, until the final runner has come around to their point of origin. This mimics the natural order of life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
& v.11 & 15 says this: God has made everything beautiful in its own time. He planted eternity into the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Whatever exists today and whatever will exist in the future has already existed in the past. For God calls each event back in its turn. It would seem then, that it is more natural for us to experience spiritual growth in a cyclical way than from a planned course of action. This is not to say that a structured method of spiritual growth is not good. It is vital, no matter how long one has been a believer. Yet, some of the most influential lessons that deepen our faith are not ones which can be planned. They are experiences that God takes us through over a period of time in order to continue the cycle of spiritual maturity. Moses: Return to Egypt The Bible tells of many times when God took his people through phases of hardship and spiritual growth, only to return them to the place where they first began. We have a wonderful example in Chapters 1-15 of Exodus, of how the Lord did this in the life Moses. Born into a Hebrew family, Moses’ life was in danger from the start. Pharaoh had ordered the murder of every male Hebrew baby two and under as a precaution against any future uprising against his kingdom. Yet, God made provision for Moses to be miraculously saved from the slaughter, adopted by the Egyptian princess, and raised as a prince. After becoming an adult, Moses learned of his Hebrew heritage. One day he became enraged at the cruel behavior of an Egyptian taskmaster who was over the Hebrew slaves, and impulsively killed him. Moses fled to the desert where the Lord took him through a process of questioning, grieving, and maturing. There he learned how to be a true leader, how to hear the voice of God, and how to continue depending on God for everything he would need to fulfill God’s plan and purpose for his life. It would have been easy for Moses to stay in that Midian desert for the rest of his life, accepting that he was destined to be a simple sheep herder, but God had different plans for him. His destiny was to come full circle, back to Egypt to use his God-given authority to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Through this process, Moses not only experienced personal restoration, he became God’s instrument of restoration for the Israelites. The Israelites There are numerous biblical accounts of habitual rebellion displayed by the Israelites. Here is what Moses said to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 11: 26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if you obey the commandment of the Lord your God, which I command you this day; And a curse if you will not obey the commandment of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day and go after other gods which ye have not known. Clearly, Moses tells them that if they will obey him they will prosper, but if they rebel they will surely be destroyed. Despite their knowledge of the Torah and the words of Moses, and the many prophets who were sent to warn them of impending destruction, the Israelites repeated the cycle of rebellion, divine retribution, repentance and restoration. God’s desire was to help his people mature spiritually and grow strong in their allegiance to him. Finally however, the Lord was true to his Word. The Israelites were taken into Babylonian captivity and the Temple was destroyed. (Read II Kings 24-25) Thankfully, God is merciful and was faithful to his covenant people. Although Israel went through a terrible time of testing and maturing, they were eventually released from their Babylonian captors and allowed to come, “full circle,” returning back to Jerusalem. When they returned, they came to a desolate place, but they knew what they had to do to rebuild it. They had become more spiritually mature and were grateful to have the opportunity to have their Temple, their city, and their hope restored. It took the experience of captivity to help them grow into that next level. (Read Ezra 3-6 and Nehemiah) Other Examples Jacob had to return to his homeland to face Esau, his twin brother whom he had cheated out of his birthright. He had to make it right before the Lord could bless him. (Read Genesis 32-33) Joseph’s brothers had to repent and acknowledge Joseph in the position the Lord had given him before their family could be taken care of. (Read Genesis 37-50) The Gadarene demoniac was told by Jesus that he could not follow alone with the disciples after his healing, but had to return to his own village in order to testify of what Jesus had done for him. Perhaps he needed to make some amends for the way he had terrified the townspeople for all those years. (Read Mark 5:1-20) Even Jesus returned to his own village of Nazareth in Galilee to give those who would question his lineage and his heritage an opportunity to see him for who he was. Even though they didn’t accept him, he did what he could do. He got closure and moved on. (Read Mark 6:1-6) Is This Really Necessary? Absolutely! No one likes having to go back and evaluate themselves, especially when they may have made some excruciatingly painful blunders. Our planned agenda for growth would generally avoid the bad and remember only the successes. However, in God’s cyclical process for maturing believers, it is necessary to revisit specific problem areas in our past and get closure on them, before we can be successful in being propelled into our future. We can’t afford to be weighed down with unnecessary baggage. Until we resolve the issues that keep us spiritually immature, we won’t be free to move ahead. Coming “Full Circle” means becoming willing to go back and face ourselves in the light of God’s mercy and grace. I believe that our most powerful times of growth are experienced when we can see where we’ve been, appreciate it for what the Lord has taught us through it, and move ahead with the confidence that whatever mistakes have been made, have been, and will continue to be used for our maturing and spiritual growth in Christ. That’s when God can use us fully to fulfill his great purposes for our lives and for his Kingdom. God’s Timing God knows where you are in the process. At times the areas we need work on are glaring. We habitually get into trouble over the same issues. If this is where you are take heart. God is allowing you to go through a series of situations or similar events to help you work through the difficulties, to give you practice in acting in a more godly manner or to build your character so you will be more spiritually mature in that trouble spot. Remember that he is a gracious and loving God, slow to anger and abounding in love. He remembers our frame and knows that we are but dust. The process of maturing takes time. Look at how long it takes a baby to physically mature into adulthood. Spiritually, we will always be on this journey as he changes us from glory to glory. We won’t arrive until we see him face to face someday in eternity. He knows that we cannot be perfect, but he wants us to be continuously striving for maturity and be willing to trust him as we come, “Full Circle.” There may be other areas in our lives that need resolution, but for some reason we aren’t even aware of it. These are the hidden things within all of us. The timing of the Lord is perfect in revealing to us the things we need to resolve…as we need to resolve them. He may be taking us through a series of events to help us, long before we recognize that we need help. Ask the Lord for keen discernment and a willingness to see the truth about even the ugly parts of yourself that you’d rather not see! It may not be as publicly glaring as someone else’s issue, but it may be a personal stumbling block that has to be removed in your life for you to be all that God intended for you to be. (More Below) If You Really Want To Come, “Full Circle,” Pray With Me:
Loving Father,
Lord Jesus, Where I have blown it with habitual sinful behaviors like gossiping, lying, sexual immorality, rebelliousness or other sins that are too many to name, I ask you to forgive me; for it’s you that I’ve sinned against most. Help me to forgive myself and make amends to others I may have offended. Help me to clearly see the tricks of the enemy which would seek to draw me back into these weak areas, and be able to resist these temptations.
Holy Spirit, I love you Lord, and I thank you for what you’ve already done and what you are about to do in my life and in your Kingdom through me. Thank you for loving me this much! Amen!
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Website Revised: 10/22/2010. Copyright © 2005 [Susan Bottger Ministries]. All rights reserved. |