Full-Circle Moments: God Wants to Reveal Himself in Your Story

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For the past year and 10 months, my life has been anything but stable. Losses, grief, transitions, and new beginnings have consumed the space that had once been occupied by stability. Even now, when I think my feet are firmly planted, another unexpected change shakes up everything.

I want to wallow in the fact that things aren’t as they were, or in my opinion, as they should be. But maybe, what if this is God’s very intention? What if He’s trying to do a new thing, and the only way to do it is by removing the old?

As we’ve learned so far, full-circle moments happen for a number of reasons: God wants to remind you of who you are. He refines and redeems you, drawing you closer to Him as He rewrites the story. As He does this, God reveals His true character.

Recently, my church had its annual week of revival nights. The full-circle moment came as my pastor prophesied healings. In 2022, my pastor felt led to dedicate a night to the healing the broken-hearted. At the time, I was trying to pretend that I was okay, trying to rush the process, trying to trust God. I lost some trusted community and I was only losing more during that week. I cried and prayed with a friend. God comforted me.

This year, my pastor prophetically spoke about the broken-hearted again, along with a wide variety of specific healings. After last year, the amount of disappointments and betrayals only kept increasing in my life. I’ve continued to heal with God and He has led me to the best, safest places to be. But still, I felt this call could easily apply to me. Where’s the nearest tissue box? I better get comfy…

My thoughts were no match to what God had already done. I processed with God and took inventory of my own mind and heart. What specifically needed to be done in me? What did I need to surrender to God? What did I need to do next? But God didn’t give me a word or a conviction. I felt nothing. I spent the night praying over others for their healing, but God was silent with me. I knew God was speaking life and healing through me that night. But maybe I didn’t react to this prophetic word because I was already healed. I wasn’t numb to the pain; I was freed from it. My broken heart, stuck in disappointment and hurt, had found its wholeness and healing in Christ alone.

In 2022, God comforted my broken heart. In 2023, He healed me. In this full-circle moment, and through this season of healing, God revealed more of Himself to me:

God is near to the broken-hearted.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18 (ESV)

God sees me.

“So she named the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are El-roi,’ for she said, ‘In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?’” – Genesis 16:13 (CSB)

God cares for me.

“ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV)

God is my healer.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

God is my comfort.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)

God is my peace.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27 (ESV)

God is near to me, even when I feel lonely or weak.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1 (ESV)

God delights in me, even when others betray me or break my trust.

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

In God’s presence, there is abundant joy.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

God loves me.

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV)

God never wanted the world to be saturated in brokenness and sin. But He has used this exact place as a platform for His glory and His goodness. When Jesus healed the blind, the paralyzed, and the sick, God was revealing Himself: He is a healer. He cares for us. He delights in us. He loves us. He sees and knows better than anyone, including ourselves.

I am in no way trying to downplay the grief or hurt of what you or I have experienced. What I am saying is that there is more to the story than our hurting. God is always working, even when we can’t see His hand in the details of our days.

Nothing of this world is stable, but God is the ultimate source of stability. Nothing in this world is constant, but He is steadfast with us. Maybe we wouldn’t appreciate or see our need for God if we didn’t have a need for Him. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul’s thorn in the flesh reminded him of his need for God. In Genesis 32, Jacob’s limp reminded him of God’s sovereignty. As you remember who God is, you’ll see that God redeems your story. As you become refined, He reveals Himself to you. And we know that, as God does this, we will see that He works all things together for good.

I don’t know where you find yourself today, friend. Maybe it’s a financial struggle or relationship issue. Maybe you’re overwhelmed with stress and can’t find a way out. Or maybe you feel defeated and depleted, and don’t know where else to turn. Let me tell you that, when you go to God and give it to Him, He will take care of all things for you.

Reflect

Where do you see God’s character best displayed in your life? Where do you struggle to see God’s hand in your circumstances? What Scriptural truths are you clinging to in this season? Share in the comments, so I can be praying for you!

Resources

Have you ever struggled to find key verses in your Bible about who God is? Do you wish you had a fast, reliable reference?

Download “10 Truths about God’s Character” as a reminder of these truths and Scripture verses! Click here to download the PDF version. Click here to download the printable bookmark for free!