What to do when every day feels the same
Dalton Blankenship
During the westward expansion of our country, teams of horses or oxen pulled large wagons over the rough terrain of alternately dusty or muddy paths. These became the well-worn trails to life-change.
But often a wagon wheel would sink into the indentations left by hundreds of other wheels. Though the wagon was more difficult to maneuver, sometimes it kept going freeing the wheel. Sometimes, the wagon came to a halt because the wheel was stuck in a rut.
Is this you? You had dreams; but you’re stuck going nowhere, wanting out but not sure what to do. Perhaps you’ve been with the same company, doing the same thing for longer than you want to remember. Maybe your marriage exists as TV after dinner. You spend time in the same room, but the intimacy is long gone.
Perspective Is Everything
Consider this parable: A man happened on a construction site. Curious, he asked the workers about their part in the project.
One laborer scowled, “I’m unloading brick, you idiot!”
Another screamed, “Are you blind? I’m mixing mortar!”
Finally, he approached a man who was singing as he laid one brick after another and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Oh! Can’t you see? I’m building a cathedral!”
Perspective is everything. Each of us will go through seasons when our lives feel stagnant, where we’re stuck in a rut of routine or regret. Even Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest man to ever live, felt there was nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
Like the wagon wheel sinking deeper in the mud, what if the only way to get unstuck is to get out of the wagon, to experience a change our perspective? What if the whole reason Jesus allows us to feel stuck is so we’ll invite Him in and let Him show us the way out or the way through.
Three Ways to Change Your Perspective When You’re Stuck
1. Ask Jesus for help!
Psalm 121 says help comes from the Lord. So seek Jesus, the One who made you, died for you, and promises never to leave you! He’s waiting to help you change perspective and see your circumstances through His eyes.
2. Use times of stagnation to reflect on your obedience.
Are you already doing the things Jesus has asked you to do? If you feel stuck in your job, ask Jesus if you are working as if He were your boss (Colossians 3:23-24). What could change if you were His hands and feet to your coworkers?
3. Make one wise change in your routine.
If we make the same choices every day, every day will be the same. But remember, making unwise choices don’t get you unstuck; they only change the way you’re stuck (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Is your marriage in a rut? Don’t look to people or things outside your marriage to change your marriage. Ask Jesus to help you talk with your spouse about what needs to change in your marriage and in both of you.
Like the stuck wagon, we can’t move forward if we keep doing what we’ve always done. Inviting Jesus to help us change perspective, be obedient, and make wise choices brings us out of ruts. Looking to Him can be the difference between laying brick and building a cathedral.