When we encounter a halt in our plans and things begin to slow down from a sprint to a crawl, it’s easy to then just collapse. Sometimes we’re still sprinting but just around and around in circles. There are also times where, when we take off, there is little or no instruction on which road we must sprint towards. These are all reasons to feel STUCK. It can make you feel out of control, anxious, or even lost. And it can leave your next step to be a no-step.
Well… if life wasn’t so boring. This is impossible. I can’t. I don’t know what to do next. Things are not changing. I don’t want to do anything. I give up. Sound familiar? If it does, hopefully, it wasn’t too often you had said these things.
STUCK IN A RUT RULE #1
Proverbs-16:3-NIV- Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
WHAT IS A RUT?
Often when we think of a rut it’s a rather dull or a blah-like state of unproductiveness or a consequential trap with little way of escape. It either appears when no amount of effort grants us a break or we are in bad shape and lack some serious motivation. When we think of a vehicle, a rut is that deep tire trace or groove in the dirt where a truck tire repeatedly spins or passes.
HOW DO WE END UP HERE ANYWAY?
- WE’RE HEADED THE WRONG WAY
Our wheels are spinning in place or in the wrong direction. We’re not gaining or conquering ground inch by inch. Remember, that “thing” will not get nearer to accomplishment by walking away from it. Are we moving but in the wrong direction? That would really be working AGAINST ourselves right? I can testify of having the desire to move in a bigger direction requiring much faith, but instead, I keep feeling stuck visiting unnecessary paths moving in the wrong direction at times. Recognizing this is the beginning. Pray about your next steps. I am.
Psalm 32:8-NIV- I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
- WE DON’T EVEN KNOW IT
A rut can be cozy sometimes! Having us kick our feet up and be minding our own business for as long as we may. Especially if we’re not paying attention. It’s sneaky like that. It will take someone having to bring it to our attention for us to know we’re even in it….A rut. We haven’t come to any realization that we need to get it together! (Sigh….. cause in this situation, it’s more comfortable to focus less on the responsibility it will take to get moving. So we lose any awareness of where we are.
John 5:8- NIV- Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.
- MENTAL ENTRAPMENT
Commonly, the reason we’re in this rut is because we spend all our time in this negative mental type of space and we decide that, this is where we don’t have a choice but to stay.
We’re also either dreaming in a positive mental space and not acting on it, or we’re distracted in another mental space where our minds are wondering by staying busy in several different areas. By now our minds are exhausted and it doesn’t have the capacity to hold an interest, a drive, or a passion of any kind. We have tired out our mental space to hold the energy for the goal in mind.
Philippians 4:13- NIV- I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
- WE HAVEN’T SET OUR MIND TO IT
Ready, set, go… What does that really mean? When we’re ready to do something, we’ve dreamt it, we can see it, we can visualize it and we can imagine it. And now it’s time to SET. Set means to position ourselves now, prepare ourselves now, believe in our selves now, convince ourselves now, and be willing now. This is all prior to “GO” the follow-through, action or doing. Some of us haven’t developed the steps to “SET” ourselves. Let’s step into a place of setting or resetting our minds.
Proverbs-4:25-NIV– Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
- WE’RE DOING THE SAME THING
Are you staying comfortable doing the same old things but getting nowhere? What about some new? If we’re not allowing ourselves and our faith to expand by seeking and exploring, then we simply cannot grow. And if we’re using similar like patterns that are frankly, old and outdated for our new direction then “same” will remain. Walking the same route over and over again will feel like insanity and overtime may become a regret. - OUR EMOTIONS CONFINE OUR ABILITY
Emotion can paralyze us. When we’re sad, down, defeated, or depressed, we tend to stay put……… At some point in the middle of that sorrow, when we’re supposed to feel the desire to carry a pinch of positive, we don’t. We just wanna stay where we are because we think at least we can pity ourselves. But, this can be a dangerous dwelling place. Who would have thought that our emotions could be such a powerful stronghold our lives! Not more powerful than the name of Jesus! Moving away from emotional confinement feels excruciating but in order to get out of the situation, we have to move and move more. WE ARE ABLE.
Proverbs-23:18-NIV- There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
MESSAGE TO YOU
The idea here is that hopefully, you will have identified with which area has caused you to be STUCK because the goal here is to become UNSTUCK. The scriptures are a reminder of what and whom to focus on when this happens until your change comes. Be blessed in the Lord as you venture away from any hold that may be on your life temporarily, keeping you from a closer walk with God and your purpose fulfilled.
