Running in circles

The other day I was on Facebook, seeing what was new in the lives of my friends. As anyone whom frequents the social networking site knows, you look at one thing, which leads to another, and another and so on. Towards the end of my journey, I ended up reconnecting with an old friend. I think the whole "Six Degrees of Separation" applies to all of us (sorry Kevin). We were able to chat online and plan to meet up sometime in order to catch up on the past 15 years we've been apart.

A couple of months ago, a new manager was hired to oversee the department I work in. It turns out that the person whom was hired for the job, was the very same person I worked for some-10 years ago. This person heavily inspired the search for employment elsewhere, as tension and stress from work was mounting, taking it's toll on my overall health and marriage.

Over the past few years, I'll find that my path has aligned with someone from my past, while shopping for groceries, going out to the movies or simply from an unexpected phone call. Why is it that when we shut the door on a person, situation or simply walk away, that more often than not we're brought back around to face it? What is God doing in situations like these?

I've come to the realization that God is working through things I'd previously left undone, or ran away from. He's putting me on these circular paths, so that I face and conquer whatever it is that I'm meant to overcome. I think that Jesus is after my heart. In order to have complete access to every part of it, He needs to purge it from things that are holding it captive. Past hurts, poor choices, broken, unresolved relationships are all obstacles that can keep us from truly living our best life.

It's alright to ask "why" when it seems we've been roped into one of these circles. But, if we've committed our lives to Jesus, he'll walk us through the purpose of the encounter. Even though we feel like running away or assuming the worst, it's important to simply trust that He has it all under control and our best interests at heart. We need to face the challenges ahead and not run from them. Otherwise, it's very likely we'll be brought around to face the same issues at a later time. Let's be conquerors, not cowards.

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.