Similarly, what ever happened to circumstances that once pulsated your life with love and satisfaction? You wished they would never change, though change they did. As you view these in your rear view mirror, you feel emotionally pulled to relive and re-experience their glory. Sorry they're gone. Glad for such fond mem'ries, but likewise, where did these circumstances go?
THANK GOD, good or bad, circumstances come to leave! They are temporary. A permanent diet of awful circumstances would quickly wear out us and leave us hopeless; whereas a permanent diet of positive circumstances would likely render us unappreciative and quite prideful.
Circumstances spiral around us like planets around a star; like electrons orbit the core (protons and neutrons) of an atom. Consider even the (English language) term and the obvious root words therein: circum-stance, where 'circum' means to encompass around about; and 'stance' means a position (physical, spiritual, emotional, financial or otherwise) or bearing of a body. This infers that circumstances arrive or arise to "take an encompassing stand", be it positive or otherwise.
I believe circumstances may well be the work products of angels, both good and bad, doing the bidding of their captains (Jesus & satan) to motivate and spawn those thought, word and action seeds we and others plant into our lives. Just as the gravitational pulls of stars on their orbiting planets, and orbiting planets on their stars are mutually reinforcing, circumstances both shape and influence us, as we also shape and influence them.
If they are indeed spawned by the thought, word and action seeds we and others plant into our lives, so our thoughts, words and actions in response to them will shape and influence them. Moreover, as the gravitational pulls of planets in a solar system have mutual effect on the planets, the circumstances of our lives similarly tend to feed on/off each other.
Circumstances arrive/arise to shape us, prove (test) us and demonstrate to us and to others who we really are at the core -- deep within our spirit. They influence the paths we take in life, facilitate and thwart progress on our current path, and reward and punish earlier paths taken. Once they do their assigned jobs, poof, they're gone! But where?
No matter where we look, it is evident that God established all/ALL of life -- and every facet of life, as a carefully integrated, intricate series of spiraling 'engines', each with its own circuit and speed, and each with relevant 'exhaust' system(s). The expression, 'cycle of life', literally applies to everything physical, and since all things physical are spawned from the world of spirit, it stands to reason cycles also exist spiritually. The physical universe is the systematic granddaddy of all these systems and circuits, and it may provide clues as to how all other circuits operate. It represents the cumulative of all 'worlds' under God's (3rd) heaven, from sub-atomic to the most complex. The universe includes black holes that serve as a type of exhaust system for solar systems and galaxies. From here, go all the way down, down, down to the sub-atomic level and we encounter similarities. This is not to say an atom represents a mini universe. But functionally, all physical life cycles are similar, and all physical life cycles likely yield useful spiritual insights, if we are perceptive to identify them. Stars have wakes and comets have tails. While human life generates pollution, trash, garbage and waste, it also produces history and mem'ries; and families spin off generations of posterity. Death, and possibly even divorce, may be forms of 'family exhaust' systems. Atoms, with their negatively charged electrons that orbit a nucleus of positively charged protons and neutral neutrons, are able to spin off unwanted electrons, thereby changing their chemical makeup. Spiritual events produce (or spin-off) glory, whether it be praise or shame, which is also a type of glory. (Philippians 3:19)
Yes, human life is replete with circumstances that revolve around the nucleus or core of who we are. Learning to envision circumstances in their proper spiritual context makes a world of difference in how they influence us, and we them. Here are some catchy, colorful, and hopefully helpful tips I have learned from my pondering on circumstances, especially those pesty uncomfortable/negative ones that seem to show up often.
When Circumstances...
When circumstances in-conspicuously conspire
to cause consternations to commence in causeways of your life,
Pouncing to prove their power; poking and
provoking you to pursue or permute your faith profession;
Trying to twist your tongue to trust or thwart your faith --
that thorough God-power thrust into life through your thoughts and talk;
Don't retreat to your routine riling and revilements,
relenting and relinquishing things you requested and received by faith.
Stand fast! Steady your soul; still your spirit; stay in your sanctuary.
Say what The Spirit of God says. Speak your 'faith spiritual spiel'.
Circumstances will eventually collapse, cave in and scram
to their dusty caves and caverns, never to come out
in that specific configuration again, ever!
Circumstances are never circumstantial, but are always circumferential,
cleverly circling you to confirm or contend with your 'cool',
contain or contaminate your core,
and confirm or circumvent you God-covenant.
and confirm or circumvent you God-covenant.
Assess the predominant, seemingly governing circumstances in your life, especially those pesty and trying negative ones. Just like with stars, planets, moons, electrons, etc., there may well be some correlation between your core being and the circumstances you seem to attract around your life. The key question is:
Will
you tame, train and transcend them,
or
allow them to tame, train and transcend you?
