102. You are Exactly Where God Wants You to Be: How God uses Detours and Circles to Grow You, not Keep You Stuck

Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in the same place — going in circles, facing detours, or walking a longer road than you expected? You’re not alone. In this episode of Curious for Christ, Alexandra explores how God uses those very detours and circles to strengthen your faith and shape you into the person He’s calling you to be, unshakable in your faith in Him. Remember, you belong to Him!

Through the story of the Israelites’ wilderness journey, we discover why the “long way” is actually part of God’s purposeful plan — to grow trust, build perseverance, and deepen your relationship with Him.

You’ll be encouraged to embrace your current season, trust God’s timing, and understand that even what feels like delay is part of your spiritual growth.

 What You’ll Hear:

• Why life sometimes feels like a circle or detour — and how God is still moving in it
• Biblical insights from the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2, Exodus 13:17)
• How detours and delays develop perseverance and faith (Romans 5:3–4)
• Encouragement to trust God when progress feels slow or invisible (Philippians 1:6)
• A prayer to renew your courage and hope in God’s plan

 Key Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 8:2“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart…”

Exodus 13:17“God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter… God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’”

Romans 5:3–4“Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Philippians 1:6“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 Free Devotional Download:

“The Spiral of Trust: Learning from the Wilderness”

Includes:

• Scripture passages to meditate on
• Reflection questions to explore your journey
• Journaling prompts to help you process and grow

 Grab your free copy here

Connect With Us:

Join the Curious for Christ Facebook community — a safe space to ask questions, share stories, and deepen your faith alongside others on the journey.

Final Encouragement:

Remember, just because it's taking longer doesn't mean God isn't working. You're not starting over. You're starting deeper. And God is with you, even here!

Thanks for listening to Curious for Christ. Join us next time!

Thanks for listening! Your support means the world. Join our Curious for Christ Facebook Group and become an Insider for weekly inspiration and encouragement on your faith journey.

Want to go deeper? Let's connect—set up a FREE Discovery Call today. See you next time!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hi, and welcome back to Curiousfor Christ.
I'm your host, Alexandra, andtoday we're diving into
something I think we all wrestlewith.
At some point, we set goals, wedream, we try to move forward,
and we genuinely want to inviteGod into that process.
But sometimes life doesn't move,at least not the way we hoped.

(00:21):
Sometimes it feels like we arerepeating the same patterns or
facing the same situations allover again.
Can you relate?
Have you ever had that feelinglike you're back where you're
started, you're going incircles, maybe you missed it or
worse that God's waiting for youto finally get it.
But here's the truth I want toexplore today.
What if you're not behind?

(00:42):
What if this isn't a setback,but a spiritual spiral where God
is doing something deep, notjust fast?
You've probably heard it saidGod is never in a hurry and he's
never late.
So today we're looking at theIsraelites in the wilderness,
the delays, the detours, theunexpected path, and how God was

(01:02):
leading them all along, evenwhen it didn't look like it.
It's about learning to keepgoing in faith, even when the
road feels familiar.
It's about understanding how Godworks.
Not always quickly, but alwayspurposefully.
Are you ready?
Let's go.

(01:26):
Welcome to Curious for Christ.
Do you ever find yourself lying,awake at night wondering about
God's plan for your life?
Maybe you wake up with bigdreams, but feel unsure where to
start or what your next stepshould be.
If you're curious aboutexploring your faith and finding
purpose, then you've come to theright place.

(01:46):
Hi, I'm Alexandra.
I too felt lost and sure of thedirection my life was taking.
I yearned to understand mypurpose and have someone guide
me, but I kept telling myself Iwas too busy.
The timing wasn't right, and mylack of clarity prevented me
from being consistent until Ifound Christ.

(02:07):
He brought peace into my lifeand revealed the way to find
purpose by anchoring myself.
In him.
In this podcast, we'll journeytogether exploring the Bible to
gain a deeper understanding ofhim and cultivate your own
personal relationship withChrist.
So open up your Bible, put inthose earbuds and listen up

(02:29):
because God is speaking to you.
He's making everything new andyou don't wanna miss it.
Let's get started.
First of all, I wanna talk aboutwhen it feels like you're going
in circles.

(02:49):
Have you ever thought I shouldbe further along by now or am I
missing something?
Why does this same lesson keepcoming up?
You're not alone.
I've been there too.
In healing, in relationships,even in my walk with God, and it
can feel like failure, buthere's a different perspective
that has helped me.
What feels like a circle mayactually be a spiral.

(03:12):
You're revisiting a place, butfrom a higher, deeper place of
growth.
Number two, the Israelitesjourney wasn't a straight line.
Let's look at scripture.
Deuteronomy one verse two saysIt takes 11 days to go from
Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by theMount Ser Road.
But how long did it actuallytake them?
40 years?
Was it just rebellion thatdelayed them?

(03:34):
Sometimes yes, but more oftenGod was intentionally shaping
them.
Deuteronomy eight verse twotells us, remember how the Lord
your God led you all the way inthe wilderness, these 40 years
to humble and test you in.
Order to know what was in yourheart.
And in Exodus 13, verse 17, Goddid not lead them on the road

(03:57):
through the Philistine country,though that was shorter.
God said if they face war, theymight change their minds and
return to Egypt, which is theplace where they were enslaved.
Not to punish them, but toprepare them for victory.
To protect them, to teach themwho he is and who they are to
help them grow in their faith inthe God who saves and gives

(04:20):
life.
Number three, you're notstarting over.
You're starting deeper.
What if your life isn't going incircle, but a spiral?
A spiral may feel like you're inthe same place, but you're not.
This time, you are wiser.
Or you're more surrendered,you're more healed, more
teachable, more trusting.
God has taken you in thosedetours and he was doing

(04:43):
something.
When you stop and ask God youmay see God at work.
Philippians one Verse sixreminds us, he who began a good
work in you will carried on tocompletion.
Romans five, verses three andfour says, suffering produces
perseverance.
Perseverance.
Character and character.

(05:03):
Hope the Israelites came out ofslavery, but slavery had to come
out of them.
And in his mercy, God gave themspace to become someone new.
So maybe you are not late,you're not behind, you're not
failing.
God is giving you space tobecome someone new too.

(05:23):
So I wanna give youencouragement for the
wilderness, those places whereyou feel like you're just going
in circles.
Here's what I want you toremember, when it feels like
you're stuck, God's timing isn'trandom.
It's higher.
Isaiah 55 verses eight throughnine, reminds us that his
thoughts and ways are not likeours.

(05:44):
They're higher, wiser, and morepurposeful.
Even delays have divineintention.
His patience gives us space togrow.
Second Peter three, verse ninesays, he's not slow in keeping
his promise, but patient withus, giving us space to align
with his heart and betransformed.

(06:04):
You're not the same person youwere the last time around.
You've changed even if itdoesn't feel like it.
Each familiar situation is aninvitation to deeper surrender
and trust, and God is moreinterested in growing your faith
than rushing your success.
Let's pray.
Father, strengthen us when thepath feels slow and uncertain.

(06:25):
Fill our hearts with courage tofollow where you lead, even when
we don't understand the way.
Help us choose faith over fear,trust over discouragement and
obedience over delay.
Shape us in the people you'vecalled us to be bold, faithful,
willing to walk the walk you'veset before us because you love
us, God, because your way is thepath to life.

(06:49):
There is no other way.
So I pray God for endurance aswell, And that no matter what
happens, God, I pray that we canrejoice in you.
The God of our salvation.
God, you are our strength.
In Jesus name, amen.
If this episode starts somethingin you, maybe you are in a
season that feels like a repeat.
I want to invite you to downloada free devotional I created just

(07:11):
for you.
It's called the spiral of trustlearning from the wilderness.
Inside you'll find scripture,reflection questions, journaling
prompts to help you trace yourgrowth and lean into what God is
doing in this season.
Grab at the link in the shownotes.
And don't forget to join ourCurious for Christ Facebook
community.
The link also is in the shownotes.

(07:32):
We're not made to live this lifealone.
We need all the encouragement wecan get and the reminders that
God is doing something, God isat work.
Don't give up.
Friends, just because it'staking longer doesn't mean God
isn't working.
You're not starting over.
You are starting deeper and Godis with you even here.

(07:54):
Thank you for listening toCurious for Christ.
Again, I'm Alexandra.
I'm with you.
I'm praying for you and I willsee you next time.
Bye for now.
Hi, I hope you enjoy today'sepisode.
If so, would you like to take 30seconds and share it with a

(08:15):
friend who may also strugglewith knowing God and his purpose
for their life?
Also, leave a review on ApplePodcast and let me know what
topics you'd like to hear aboutin the future.
Your voice matters.
I'll meet you back next Friday.
For another episode.