Ok, we’re going to get personal on this one. What I’m about to say is going to invite you to do some deep soul-searching, but it’s really not that complicated. Chances are, you’ve already been pondering these things ad nauseum, wondering if they mean something more. Let me save you the suspense.
They do.
Try some of these descriptions on for size and see if any of them resonate with you:
- I just can’t seem to get ahead.
- I can’t nail down any healthy habits.
- I’ve been in this church for years, but I just don’t feel understood.
- Work not only stresses me out--I come home feeling depleted.
- I miss having things to look forward to.
- My housing situation discourages me.
- I feel like I’m living only 20% of my potential.
- I’m tired and sad most of the time.
- I’ve worked so hard at this passion project, but it’s not gaining traction.
- I feel like a lot of my friends can’t relate to my particular struggles.
Anything sound familiar? We’ve all suffered through some of these at one point or another, right? Sometimes several at once. And as a society, we’ve gotten very used to labeling these situations and commiserating about them without taking action. Today, we’re going to do something about this!
Now, to all my fellow Christians out there, I know the disclaimer you have in mind, and it's worth addressing. There are times when God is asking you to stick it out in a difficult situation because He has a bigger purpose in mind. Some of the tasks God calls us to in this world can be extremely taxing, but you know you’re not supposed to give up. That’s fair. Sometimes, you just need to adjust how you’re carrying something.
However, you will find that God is faithful to provide the necessary grace for whatever He’s truly called you to. And there will be consistent evidence of the fruit you’re bearing in those areas (even if it seems small).
Conversely, if you’re feeling trapped, stuck, paralyzed, or consistently bombarded by negatives, I would argue that something needs a reset. God doesn’t want you there (mentally speaking). There’s a difference between struggling powerfully with all Christ’s energy that He works within you for a tough calling (Col. 1:29) and allowing your health and mindset to deteriorate because you are waiting for God to write your next step on the wall of your house.
Sometimes, God doesn’t talk like that. Sometimes, He simply dries up the brook you’ve been drinking from to indicate that it’s time to move on (1 Kings 17:7).
Now, I’m not talking about making rash, emotional moves or running around chasing some elusive, worldly degree of happiness. But if you’re truly in a rut that is scary and soul-deadening, you need to be willing to take an honest look at your life and ask the Lord a few crucial questions. If you’re seeking Him on how to move forward, you don’t have to be afraid of displeasing Him or making a horrible mistake. You may have to take an uncomfortable step, but you don’t have to fear.
Here's what you do.
Make a list of the categories of your life where you feel trapped/in pain/depleted by stress, and ask God the following:
1. Lord, do you still want me here? If so, what are you doing in this season, and am I actively working with you in that? Is there something I could be doing differently?
2. Or am I here because I have been waiting for drastic permission to leave?
And “leaving” a situation isn’t always physical. Sometimes it just means making a move. Or a change.
Case in point from my life: in 2020, I made a personal change with my writing habits. I was used to being someone who enjoyed writing for fun and hoped to be an author one day but never made real progress with any projects. However, during the shutdown, I decided to take what I had and see if I could finish a book. That experiment became the catalyst for this website and the launch of my indie author experience.
And the thing is: God didn’t speak audibly and tell me to do that, but I absolutely believe I was led by Him because I had been asking Him how I could leverage the extra time from the pandemic in a wise way that would produce something worthwhile. The boost I felt when I started writing every day was His answer to that question, and as I ran with it, doors started opening that had been shut for years.
Sometimes God wants you to stick with something, but you’ve been carrying it wrong. There’s a better way to carry it in this season.
Other times, God isn’t the reason you are where you are, and if that’s the case…why are you still there? (That’s not rhetorical. You actually need to find out.)
Picture your life like one of those gameboards where you roll and then move your piece a certain number of steps before accomplishing whatever is written on the designated square. How do you see yourself on that board? Are you moving forward, accomplishing things that fill you with joy and give life to others? Or do you see yourself stuck on square 4 while all your friends are blitzing ahead to square 18 because they all rolled something specific that hasn’t happened to you yet?
We all have that roll. Marriage, children, ministry takeoff, buying a house, getting a publisher…whatever we hoped would catapult us to bigger and better squares. And when we roll and roll and roll without seeing the combination we wanted, we can start to feel like we can’t move until we roll that magic number. We feel behind—everywhere.
But here’s the secret: THAT IS JUST A FEELING. IT’S NOT THE TRUTH.
The truth is you were meant to move. Everyone is put on this Earth to move.
You don’t earn the right to move by rolling certain numbers. You roll something, move, and accomplish whatever’s on that square. That’s how you make progress. And the “roll” that tells you where to go takes place in your daily pursuit of God and interaction with His Spirit.
If you know that you haven’t been allowing yourself to move lately, if there are more areas of life that are draining your strength than feeding it—you can break out of that rut today!
Lysa Terkeurst says: “You don’t have to define your future in order to take steps into it.” And more importantly, Ephesians 4:10 says that you were created for good works that God prepared for you in advance. These are things you were meant to walk in, not things that hit you. But taking those first steps can be scary. That’s why there’s another important question you need to ask yourself.
Are you more impressed with your lack or with God’s ability to lead you?
Let me encourage you today (and I’m taking my own advice)—don’t wait to feel “ready” or “safe,” because that line just keeps moving. Don’t wait for foolproof, airtight opportunities, because everything worth anything costs something. Don’t wait for life to force you somewhere; that’s more painful than it needs to be.
Seek the Lord above all else with a thankful, open heart, and believe He’s leading you. Choose to live in response to His voice rather than the sound of your own fears. Demonstrate trust in Him with the moves you make, and the confidence and open doors you crave will follow.
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