How to get out of a rut – a Biblical perspective.
We have all been there: the motivation is low, we feel tired and we know it’s time to get back into things. We are in a rut, we feel stuck. We struggle to do it because it IS hard, we are by nature leaning more towards comfort than working hard. Hopefully this short read will help you if you are in a need of a pick me up!
Waking up
Waking up is hard sometimes, but very much necessary. Take a day and choose it to be your wake up day, get a good morning routine in, spend a good amount of time in the Word, go for a walk, hit the gym – whatever works for you. Remember that God wants to give you fullness of life and the enemy wants to see you beaten and not really wanting to do anything. The time has come to wake up!
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.“
Eph 5:14-16
He is calling us to make the most of the days we get. This doesn’t of course mean that we can’t take rest days, but I think we all know the difference between resting and just feeling stuck, tired and unmotivated. It’s time to cast off the slumber and to rise up!
Vision
One thing that makes us lose motivation is if we have lost vision, if we don’t find purpose in what we are doing. Sometimes we need new vision, but many times we simply need to ask God to open our eyes and give us His vision for our lives.
EVERYTHING is connected to the greatest story of all – the story of The Kingdom. Your family, work friends, school mates, patients, customers and people working in the grocery store. We need to ask God to clean our eyes and hearts from all heaviness, tiredness and seeing it all as a routine and asking Him to help us to really see what He see.
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”
Eph 1:18
Ask for His vision for your family, for your relationship, for your workplace. What is He doing? How can you partner with it?
Something new
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Eccl 3:1
Do you remember what it felt like to go shopping before the new school year? To have new clothes, a new bag and new pens ready for the new year. It’s a great feeling.
Why did we stop? Sometimes what we need is something new, a change. It helps getting us unstuck.
Even though it’s always nice to have new things there are also other changes we can make. Maybe serving in a new team in church this season? Inviting friends over for dinner on Thursdays? Starting a prayer group at work?
Start dreaming with God! Getting out of a rut means a new path. What does this one look like?
Asking for help
If you have in the same rut for a long time, maybe years it’s a good idea to ask for help. It can be a counsellor, a pastor or someone else. Go for prayer at church next Sunday. Don’t accept that life will be like this forever. There is fullness of life. Maybe today is the day you need your hope for a good future restored and that can be the start of fighting for something new?
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. “
James 5:16
Don’t let the enemy get a win by choosing to fight alone. We have been given the body and fellowship for a reason. Be courageous, ask for help!
I hope these thoughts can help and inspire you you need to get out of a rut and find new motivation. Remember that God is always up to exciting things, let’s be His partners in His Kingdom!
With Him we can never fully know what to expect, but we can trust it to be good.
