Spinning in Circles

Every morning after I drop the youngest off at school, I encounter a dog and its owner. They sit near the corner at the traffic light. Anyone who waves, beeps, or yells hello at this adorable pup is entertained by him spinning in circles repeatedly. He is tethered in a harness and spins as happily and quickly as possible, carefree and delighted that the cars said “hello.” Seeing how happy the dog is to entertain everyone makes me smile and reflect on the importance of being tethered to a grounded life.

I wouldn’t say I like spinning in circles. I don’t particularly appreciate ending in the same place I started. Why do we often end back in the same place where we started? It is because we refuse to change the patterns that led us there in the first place. Change isn’t easy because changing behaviors takes practice and discipline. Not to mention, we all like to feel safe and comfortable. We can’t truly change until we tether ourselves first to the idea that we CAN change and trust in someone bigger than us to help us make that change.

Returning to the pup on the corner, he relies entirely on his owner to hold that rope as he spins joyfully, keeping him safe from the passing world. That is the relationship that we are supposed to have with our Father. I’ve lived away from the direction and clarity of God’s vision for my life. I untied the rope and spun in circles, but these circles were not focused anywhere. Hell was guiding my steps, and I was living recklessly. Essentially, I was pulling on the rope, trying to do my own thing, bringing hellish behavior into my life. When I began to focus my eyes on the love of Jesus, my focus became more apparent that I AM a sinner. When I started to allow the life rope of God’s love for me to pull me out of the hell I was living in; I began to see more clearly that God had been holding the rope the whole time; I was the one who dropped it. The difference between the God of Heaven is that he offers us a LASSO to save us, and Satan offers a Noose used to destroy. To quote Pastor Mark Driscoll, “What ever God creates, satan counterfeits.”

God does not want us to spin in circles. He wants us to focus on him. If you end up at the same place, the lesson hasn’t yet been learned, which is okay. We all fall short, but the love of Jesus can stand us back up to start over. With continued discipline and focus, we can achieve all things. Philippians 4:16: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We can do all things with Christ guiding our life. Sure, I could do it on my own and give myself credit for everything that has changed in my life, but the truth is that I am flawed and can’t be trusted to live by my choices alone. My past has shown that I only sometimes made the best choices. So, I rely on the one book that tells the truth, no matter how hard it is to hear. The Bible says that Jesus is coming back.

Like the pup at the traffic light, I want to enjoy my life knowing I will be safely tethered to my Father forever. The end times are here. Don’t believe me? Look around, friends; the world is spinning out of control, and people have lost focus on the only one who can save their eternal soul. It’s worth pondering before the King returns.