(Phil 1:6) . . . He who has begun a good work in you will complete it . . .
Do you ever feel like you’re not where you should be? Do you feel like a painting that isn’t complete . . . like you’re not fully out of the woods . . . like you would if you could? Don’t worry about it. That incomplete, unfinished feeling just means you haven’t come full circle yet.
Now first there is that full circle of life. That’s the span of time from when we accept the Lord to the time we go home to be with Him. God is working in our lives. We’re not where we should be but thank God we’re not where we used to be! That work of the Master’s hand takes a lifetime. He is patient with us. We have to be patient with Him. He’s the Potter and we are the clay (Isa 64:6). He’s molding us into what He wants us to be. He’s conforming us into the image of His Son (Rom 8:29). We’re somewhere in the circle but the circle isn’t complete. It will be complete when Jesus comes and takes us home. That’s graduation. That’s the full circle of life. Then starts another circle of life that will never be complete. It’s called eternal life.
Next, let’s consider the full circle of experience. This is when things occur in our lives to teach us a lesson we need to learn. Jesus said to learn from Him (Mat 11:29). So He allows us to be tested. How are we doing? Are we doing our homework? Are we studying and researching what we are supposed to know? Or are we rejecting the process that God is taking us through? Perhaps we want to be free from the confines. We resist the difficulties. We cut class and want to go out and have some fun. We’re tired of the long process. We want to jump out of the circle or at least press fast-forward so we can go on with our lives. But we amble on. It’s all a stroll when we really want to rock and roll!
If you think about it, you can be in a few circles at a time. You’re going through something in one part of your life but you’re also going through something in another part of your life. Kind of like taking many classes at a time at school. You can also be completing a circle in one area and also entering a circle in another area. And if you’re wondering just why all these circles at a time I guess you could say God wants you and I to be well rounded! So don’t jump out now because the Lord will have to put you back in later.
I think the greatest encouragement in all this is the promise that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it. Just enjoy the process. Let things take their course. Learn what you have to learn. God started the circle and He will take you around it until His work in you is complete.
Let’s also be patient with each other as sometimes we can all get a little “loopy.” We’re all a work in progress. Trust the Lord’s work in me. I’ll trust the Lord’s work in you.
Full circle. This is the “wheel” deal so stay in the “ring” and I will see you a “round!”
Louie