It’s funny and somewhat comforting when events come together in what some people might call coicidence but I call God circling back.
I know that you will all recognize the “circle back” reference to current events. It seems that Biden Press Secretary uses that phrase whenever she can’t answer a question from the press. It happens a lot. She doesn’t seem to have many answers about what is happening.
I’m using that phrase to describe the answers that someone else gives us, someone who knows the answers; God.
There are times when we all feel like we need to know how to evaluate life’s circumstances and what to do about them. If we wait long enough, I believe God will show us. He will circle back with answers.
Today was such a day. I had been feeling somewhat lost about the current state of this country and what I could do. It caused me quite a bit of frustration. But, events and information was placed in front of me that showed me what I could and should do.
I was listening to “Give Him 15” with Dutch Sheets as he talked about the Devil in the Bible and how slick and crafty he was. He deceived Adam and Eve causing them to lose the Garden of Eden. He continued to deceive others to do his will, including the crucifixion of Christ. He thought he had won when Christ died, but he hadn’t. It was all God’s plan.
Now, it seems he is at work again, fooling so many people in our country, leading them to believe things that are not as they appear. Some are so deceived that they are completing acts that are destroying this country, our freedom, and the lives of millions. But God has a plan. It is the plan that will save us.
Some people think that just because God has a plan, our role in the plan doesn’t exist. However, he needs us to act. But, to do what? How do we fight the division, the hatred that seems to be growing everyday?
As it always seems to happen, the answers are always revealed with subtlety and grace.
Recently, my husband retired and I had hoped we would get started on much needed repairs on our 40 year old home. As much as we tried to get things started, it never happened. Finally, the other day, I was doing wash when a soft spot we discovered in our laundry room floor gave way and I found myself with one leg through the crawl space and on the ground while the other assumed the “hurdler” position on our floor. Not comfortable.
It was a wake up call to us both that we needed to get things going. But, it was so overwhelming! Then, in a conversation my 29 year old daughter told me to take it one thing at a time or else the amount of work to be done would seem to be impossible. We needed to make a plan and break the task into steps. It was her advice that sparked us making that plan and taking the first step. A seemingly awful event, falling through the floor, became a part of the plan. Our first step? Get a dumpster and rid ourselves of the junk and allow ourselves to move forward with repairs.
But God wasn’t done letting us in on what to do with the problems of this country.
I had a conversation with Curtis, a friend at the gym who is a preacher. We often talk and our topics can range from sports to theology. Curtis is a preacher and a very good, down to earth man. I shared with Curtis the thoughts I had about our current state of affairs. I said, ” I know God is in charge. but it’s so hard.” That’s when Curtis reminded me that when we really do believe God is in control, then we should let that wash over us and guide us. As we discussed further, he reminded me that this doesn’t mean we don’t act, but that we act as our faith directs us, with kindness. It’s hard to do when people are rude and confrontational with us, but we must understand when to let those things go. The same applies to Social Media and the constant upheaval it and the news media encourage. Only when we rid ourselves of those distractions will we be able to take actions to make things better.
It all clicked. In order to fight the evil going on right now, we need to acknowledge God’s plan, have faith in it, break it down into the steps he leads us to, get rid of the junk noise of modern media, and make the change one act at a time.
It all makes perfect sense.
God had circled back. But, unlike the clueless White House Press Secretary, He circled back with real answers and wisdom as well as the comfort of knowing we can create positive change.
