are you stuck?

image source: freeimages.com/Adrian, Canada

Have you ever been in a rut? Are you in one now? Do the circumstances of life keep beating you down; does the dialogue in your head accuse you of being weak and incapable to live the life you know God has invited you to live?

I have. Multiple times. It is easy in these times to make sweeping judgments about the goodness of God. We see the circumstances of our life (which seem merciless); we see the weakness in ourselves (how easily we can be thrown into doubt or fear or anger or defeat) and we wonder if we will ever bridge the gap between the life we are currently living and the life that we have envisioned. We start to feel that God is far away. That perhaps we got it wrong; He doesn't care or He is untouched by our difficulties. Maybe we heard wrong; maybe we are not going to be a pastor or an author or an interior designer (or whatever God has spoken into our hearts) after all. Life presses in, doubts grow, and we find ourselves stuck. Not moving forward, but walking wearily the treadmill of life, wondering how long before our legs give out and we give up all together. Were we wrong to hope, to dream? Is this what life really is all about? Are we destined to be tired, depressed and overwhelmed?

I offer a hearty 'no way!'

While it is true that in this life we will experience good times and hard times, we are not meant to stay stuck! Even the difficult times are there to move us forward. Depending on the difficulties of the circumstances we are are facing, it is easy to believe that we have no control. It is simply not true. When we made the decision to follow Christ, we entered into a relationship with God; we became His children and He committed Himself to lead us and guide us into maturity. He has promised to heal and help us. We often complain and moan and fear and doubt but God is willing to lead us just as soon as we ask. He will faithfully take us step by step; the problem is not His lack of guidance, but often our forgetfulness in asking Him or our unwillingness to follow.

Often times the path to freedom is a slow one. Sometimes it is instantaneous, but mostly it takes practice. It is this journey that binds us to God's father heart. It is in our 'stuck-ness' that we learn to reach out; to invite God back into our parenting, our thought life, our careers and relationships.

It is not nearly so tricky as we think it is; it just comes down to this:
Ask Him.
Sit, wait, see what He says.
He will show you the next step to take because He is faithful.
It is up to us whether we will take it.

'Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

Don't try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

He's the one who will keep you on track.'

Proverbs 3:5 (The Message)