Circles

Why do we keep going in circles? What is it that keeps us bound in our thoughts and our walk? Paul does us a favor and lists the reasons the Israelites (and they are the same for us) spent day after day plodding in circles. He states in I Corinthians 10 that:

1. They lusted after evil things. 

Passions are given in to and you are driven for evil things. This is why otherwise good men fall to obvious traps.

2. They had idols. 

Anything that comes between you and God. Anything that you trust more than Him. If you weren't worshipping those things they wouldn't be so hard to give up! Your ability to line out may very well be tied to your willingness to give up some things and because you are unwilling to give up a relationship, a habit, a preference you remain circled.

3. They were involved in sexual immorality. 

As long as you continue to cross boundaries, lower your viewing standards, participate in what God says is sin you will circle in destruction! Those boundaries have been set not to harm you but to protect you! What may feel good for a season will circle you every time!

4. They tested/tempted the Lord. 

We tempt God because we encounter God but don't obey God. We get instruction in here and refuse to actually do what we have heard. And once we know to do right and don't do it it becomes sin!

5. They murmured and complained. 

They were whiners. We are the whiniest generation I have ever seen. If everything isn't the way we want. it, when we want it, how we want it we whine and complain. Service has to be the right length, right volume, right style or we complain and not only do we miss we will talk others into missing as well! We complain when we don't get attention. We complain when we do get attention. We complain when we aren't confronted about our sin. Then we complain when discipline is prescribed for our sin. Instead of complaining about your life, your wife, your church, your pastor maybe a spirit of thankfulness should overcome us so that we quit circling. 

This is why we circle. These things cause us to repeat the cycle.

These issues rounded them out. These issues determined their course. These issues forced them to march on their daily route to nowhere. So if the things that caused them to circle cause us to circle then perhaps what enabled them to stop circling will also enable us to stop circling-a relationship with God that is up-to-date and alive.