Going in Circles? Recognize the Progress.

By Sally Matheny

     Do you feel like you’re going in circles and wonder if you’re accomplishing anything? We work like crazy, but often we find ourselves questioning if we’re succeeding at anything. We may understand our goal, but we fail to recognize any progress in achieving it.

Sound familiar? I have days I feel like this. Lots of days.

What goal are you struggling with right now? For months, I worked on developing a new website. The new host site was vastly different than the last one, so the learning curve was steep. Even after enlisting the help of a tech-savvy friend, one snag after another barricaded me from publishing the new website.

Normally, I’m the kind of gal who doesn’t get discouraged easily. But as the months droned on, the Why-Me-Woes began to settle in. I knew my purpose. I understood the reasons I needed a new website. I enlisted help. I even prayed about it. So why were things not proceeding as planned?

Perhaps we are too quick to say, “It must not be God’s will,” when things are not progressing like we think they should.

 

 Sometimes we need to stop and reevaluate. Not necessarily our purpose, but our progress. 

One way to diminish discouragement is to keep a record of the stepping stones which are advancing you one by one to your goal.

What Are You Learning?

I may not have had the website up and running as soon as I wanted but, in the process, I learned a lot of tech-savvy stuff. There were a few “basics” I should have known but did not. Now I do. 

I made mistakes that cost time and money. Lessons learned this way are some of the most difficult. Yet, if we are teachable, we learn patience, humility, and perseverance.

Challenged to figure out some things for myself, rather than depending on someone else to solve the problems, made me stronger and wiser.

Giving up was considered but ultimately not an option because I know my purpose and my passion. There was no choice but to move forward. I’m already using what I learned to help others avoid the same pitfalls.

Who Are You Meeting?

        While working through the difficulties, I’ve connected with people I may never have met had things gone smoothly. I thought I’d forge new friendships after the website was built. Apparently, and thankfully, God had something else in mind. 

       

Perhaps the delay in our progress is not due to something we lack, but an opportunity for us to meet someone else’s need.

What is the Best Timing?

        This brings us to a key issue. My idea of how quickly the project should go and God’s idea was different. I could have chosen to throw a pity party, an “I quit!” fit, or I could find things to celebrate along the way. 

        Of course, we must continually seek God’s will in our lives. We do that through the study of, and the obedience to, His Word. Then, whatever we set out to do, we work at it with all hearts. 

        We may long to jump in with a big splash, but perhaps God is working in us, and through us, accomplishing a greater purpose one drop at a time.

God is working through us even

when we feel like we're going in circles.

What about you? What goal are you finding challenging to accomplish? Are you able to see the rings of progress?