Listen: Chris Witts presents Morning Devotions.
By Chris WittsSaturday 15 May 2021Morning Devotions with Chris WittsDevotionsReading Time: 4 minutes
We all go through periods when we feel like we might be stuck in a rut. It can seem like you are just going through the motions, treading water, or jogging in place. You’re doing the same old things, but it doesn’t seem like you are actually getting anywhere.
Things that used to excite you may start to feel less interesting. Instead of moving forward toward your goals, you’re just digging yourself deeper and deeper into the same spot. Human beings have a tendency to settle into ruts—we don’t upset our routines; we are creatures of habit.
Feeling like you are in a rut can be frustrating—you look at others who are always happy and energised with a goal and purpose to live for. Being ‘stuck’ is something that you may not even notice at first. These feelings often build slowly over time. Day after day, you might follow your same routines:
- Every day seems the same. You might even have trouble remembering what day of the week it is. Is it Monday, or is it Friday? It doesn’t matter because your days feel indistinguishable from one another.
- You feel like you’re just trying to get through another day. Your goal is just to keep putting one foot ahead of the other until the day is done.
- You feel unmotivated. You might want to take on new projects or engage in creative tasks, but even when you try to do so, it feels like your well of ideas and motivation has run dry.
- You feel unfulfilled. You want to try new things, but you just aren’t sure what they are or how you would do them. Just finding the motivation to get started seems impossible.
- You want to change, but fear the temporary discomfort that may come with it.
- You know that changing things up will make you happier in the long run, but you keep sticking with the status quo because it means you won’t have to risk any pain or failure.
(The section above has been taken from www.verywellmind.com)
Getting out of the rut
Have you been eating well? Sleeping enough? Are you spending enough time with people who care about and support you? Be spontaneous. If you are bored with some aspect of your life, start trying to live in the moment. Do things that are not carefully pre-planned. Say ‘yes’ to new experiences and don’t be afraid to do the unexpected.
The next time you are feeling bogged down, try heading outdoors for a walk. Let go of the thoughts that have been circling around in your brain, and pay attention to the world around you. Allow yourself to relax, think of new things, and enjoy the beauty you see. If nothing else, it is a great way to get some exercise and return to your everyday life with a renewed sense of wonder.
But sometimes we have to take a risk.
We need to stop procrastinating. English playwright James Albery in the 1800s, once wrote a short poem about procrastination, “He slept beneath the moon, he basked beneath the sun, he lived a life with `going to do’ and died with nothing done.”
And it is tragic to waste our lives. We have to stop saying, Tomorrow, One of these days, Someday, Sometime in the coming year. We need to start saying, Now! Today. Everyone has dreams, but dreamers are a dime a dozen. Faith without action is dead.
God can help you get out of your rut
But maybe God telling is telling you that you’re in a different rut, and that you need to start something new today. The question you need to ask yourself is: What do I need to change today in order to get out of the rut I’m in?
God loves you and wants to pull you out of the rut. The Bible says in Isaiah 43:1-3:
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you,…
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you…
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour…”
He can give you a new perspective. He is a God of miracles and surprises—he gets you off the merry go round.
There are 3 kinds of people in the world:
- Accusers: They blame everyone else and pass the buck.
- Excusers: They say, It’s never my fault.
- Choosers: They accept responsibility for their own life and happiness.
Which one are you? Let’s make ourselves accountable to others and a loving God will help you climb out of your rut—the sooner the better!