Circle of Chairs

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20

Many years ago, when we were trying everything to help our daughter sort out her emotional turmoil, we went to counseling as a family. I’ll never forget one of the sessions and am quite sure I have never written about it. It was a day of sad revelation but holds no power today because of where she now is in her life. That season was an ‘old address,’ one she hasn’t lived at in a very long time. The counselor put five chairs in a circle and asked all of us except our daughter to have a seat. The counselor proceeded to ask her where she saw herself in that circle. Our daughter walked across the room and sat in chair in the corner of the office. My heart broke for us and for her. I’m not sure whether the reason was that she longed to be away from us, or she felt unworthy to be a part of us. Either way, it was a physical representation of an emotional fragmented separation.

Yesterday when I was walking, I was still thinking about the Holy Spirit residing in us. I was recalling times in past seasons when I spiritually separated myself from the circle of God’s family. I was busy checking the spiritual boxes while living life on my own terms. God gently and patiently lured me from the corner and re-invited me back into the circle. Not one time did the Lord ask me to leave the circle of grace that He had prepared for me. Just like my daughter, I had chosen to live outside of the circle. I’m so thankful that His spirit awakened me years ago although I had quietened Him. I have read many times that God’s spirit is a silent gentleman awaiting our acceptance of His invitation of fellowship. He will not force Himself upon us, but He will continue to watch us, intercede for us, and remind us of the love we will always have in Him.

The circle is always open no matter what our behavior displays and the chairs are innumerable. We can never find ourselves out of the reach of the Spirit and can always return to the center of His love. That is our permanent address!