Sometimes God Makes You Circle Back Before He Launches You Forward To Takeoff

I used to think going back meant I failed.

You know how we are. We want every testimony to sound like: I started at the bottom, kept climbing, never looked back, and now I'm living my best blessed life.

Cute.

But life with God doesn't always work like that.

Sometimes God will have you circle right back around to the very place you thought you had outgrown.

And baby, that will mess with your ego.

Because you're looking around thinking, Lord, haven't I already been here? Didn't I already learn this lesson? Why am I back at the beginning? I thought we were moving FORWARD.

But I'm learning something:

Circling back doesn't always mean failure or you're starting over.

Sometimes you're returning to the place where the Lord originally called you to be launched into your next assignment.

Peter Had to Circle Back Too

Think about Peter.

Peter had walked with Jesus. He had seen miracles. He had watched Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, feed thousands, and do things most people couldn't even imagine.

Peter wasn't a beginner anymore.

And yet after Jesus was crucified—and after Peter had denied Him three times—Peter said:

“I go a fishing.” — John 21:3 (KJV)

 

Fishing.

Now hold on, Peter.

After everything you've seen?

After walking on water?

After being part of Jesus' inner circle?

You're going back to fishing?

Yep

.

Because fishing was familiar.

Fishing was what Peter knew before Jesus called him into something greater.

And that's where Peter got clarity about what was next.

When life doesn't turn out the way we expected, sometimes we find ourselves circling back to move forward.

Back to an old career.

Back to an old city.

Back to school.

Back to rebuilding.

Back to something we thought we had already graduated from.

And it can feel embarrassing because you're thinking, I should be further along than this.

You are further along than you were the first time you were here.

You may be standing in a familiar place, but you're not standing there from the same space..... with the same experience, wisdom, knowledge, connections, faith, or perspective you had before.

So don't confuse familiar territory with lost progress.

Circling back isn't a demotion. Sometimes it's preparation for the promotion.

Watch what happens with Peter.

Jesus meets him right there. And not in some glamorous new assignment.

Jesus met Peter back around those same fishing boats. The same environment connected to Peter's beginning became the setting for his restoration.

And Jesus tells him:

“Feed my sheep.” — John 21:17 (KJV)

 

In other words:

Peter, I know you're back fishing. But fishing isn't your final destination. I brought you back here because we needed to deal with something before I could send you forward.

Whew.

So if you ever think to yourself how did I end up here. Here's the part I love.

Jesus restores and launches Peter and by Acts 2, Peter is standing up preaching at Pentecost. And approximately 3,000 souls were added to the church that day.

And Peter becomes one of the central leaders of the early church.

And maybe that's the word for somebody reading this, today.

Stop judging your future by the place you're standing in right now.

You may recognize the scenery, but you don't know what God is preparing to do through you this time.

 And this time, when God says move, baby, move

What looked like you were going in circles was God positioning you on the runway for takeoff.