If God Tells You to Go Around in Boring Circles It is Never a Waste of Time

So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:14-16, 20 NIV)


A circle is a round, never-ending, no-edge, always-the-same-appearing-from-every- point, continuous geometrical shape. It is a perfect illustration of a repeated boring routine. It is so boring that "going around in circles" is a common idiom for expending plenty of time and effort trying to do something, without making any measurable progress; to have much activity without achievement. To "run around in circles" is to waste one's time in aimless activities. To "talk in circles" is to talk in a confusing manner, speaking without making a point. A "vicious circle" is a problem situation that leads to another problem which then leads to the first problem again and loops on an on without solution. Circling something over and over is illustrative of the height of aimless boredom.

Yet this was the victory strategy God gave Joshua for bringing down the massive walls of Jericho and taking the city. Isreal was to circle the wall for seven days and on the seventh day seven times. This could have even been a more interesting experience if they had been allowed to interact, maybe sing some songs or carry on conversations with fellow circlers those seven days. They were to do it silently without a sound until the last circle. It was boring routine. Yet it was the way God chose to show his power on their behalf.

Have you noticed that God does many miraculous things by giving people repetitive boring things to do. He told Naaman to dip in the Jordan seven times to be healed of his leprosy. Israel had to gather the manna day by day routinely for forty years. Leftovers were not allowed. Moses went about routinely in the Sinai wilderness for forty years keeping his father-in-laws sheep not knowing that the same routes and tracks he learned by routine would be the same he would take God's people through later. The widow woman was to borrow vessels from neighbors and fill each one one by one. When Jesus wanted to provide wine, the people had to pour water repeatedly into the jars to fill them. Even the bread and fishes had to be broken and shared to a multitude one by one, and in the process, they multiplied. It seems many times that the formula for miracles was, Boring Routine + God's Power = Miracles. Routine was repeatedly combined with God's power to produce amazing acts of God.

Are you currently doing something God instructed you to do that has become boring routine? Do you feel you are going in circles staying in obedience to God? Are you having to repeat the same boring things over and over everyday-praying everyday for a loved one without noticeable change; praising God incessantly day-by-day, while nothing bulges; going about your God-given assignment faithfully to the point of boredom? Do you have to write daily, preach weekly, study repeatedly, search for prospects, make calls, volunteer, practice your skills etc and yet it seems you are only making circles? Be encouraged. Always remember, if God tells you to go in circles, it is never a waste of time. It is preparation for something great about to happen in your life. Keep circling. The victory is coming. The boring will become the exciting. Though you may not see it, the wall is already cracking from within and soon the circle will become a straight line into your God-promised city.


Decision of the Day

I will do what God says to do even if it feels like going in circles. I will use routines to my advantage