Most people feel stuck in a rut and can’t move forward at some point in their lives. For many people, it happens many times over.
It comes in the form of short term situations – maybe your family is going through a period of sickness, or you’re going through a time where you’re feeling particularly over-whelmed. You know that it will end eventually – it HAS to, but in this moment it feels like it will never end.
Or maybe you’re stuck in a situation that’s a little more long-term. You’re thankful for your job, but it seems like you can never get ahead financially. Or maybe you have a very well-paying job, but you never get to see your family.
So what does it take to Move Forward…?
Embrace the Moment!
Okay… I see your eye-roll. I see that look of confusion on your face.
How on earth is embracing the moment going to help you move forward?!
Trust me, there have been and continue to be many moments in my life where I feel stuck, or where I feel completely over-whelmed and don’t know where to move or what to do.
It is in these moments that I’ve learned that I have two choices. I can either fight it and pretend it’s not there, or I can embrace it and roll with the punches.
When I choose the first option, I end up feeling even more over-whelmed. Many times I become drained and emotionally exhausted. I feel bitter and resentful. I’ll yell at the kids more. Life becomes a battlefield and nobody wins.
However, when I choose the second option, there’s hope. It still may not be perfect, but I know that it will end – the particular season or situation will be over eventually. While I wait, I try to cut myself and my family a little slack. Some days this literally means drop everything and do nothing except what is necessary to survive. It doesn’t happen very often, but some days require us to just let everything go and watch TV with the kids all day… in our pajamas.
Then we have the other extreme – we’re waiting for that long-term situation to change. This is the hardest for me because it requires a large dose of patience and fortitude. In these situations we can’t allow the negativity or bitterness we feel to weigh us down. It’s about making the choice to continue on and live life. It’s in this situation that we need to pray as if everything depended on God, and work as if it all depended on us.
However, I find that many times the best response falls somewhere in the middle. Have you ever been getting along seemingly perfectly? You’re on top of housework, the kids have been behaving well (or you have remained peaceful while they melt), and each day brings with it order and peace… Then all of a sudden it’s like a train wreck and you’re left wondering what went wrong? It’s not quite as bad as the first situation, but man, it would have been a whole lot nicer if you could have stayed on track!
Even in this situation I’m working on embracing it. You may have a day or two where nothing on your to-do list gets done – the laundry and dishes are piling up, there are crumbs and toys strewn throughout the house, and you feel rushed and bent out of shape. It’s okay – one day at a time, one moment at a time. Allow yourself a week or two to get things back in order and ease back into your routine. If you don’t have a routine, I highly recommend that you try it – it works!
This is actually where I find myself in this moment. I was thrown slightly off track, but we got back on and are starting to get back in the swing of things. My goal is to be fully back on track at full speed by the end of next week!
I know it may seem impossible at times, but you can do it. Remember to embrace the situation and be patient with yourself. It’ll be okay.
I have one more thought for you before I let you go…
Jesus embraced His cross on the road to Calvary. How much harder do you think it would have been if He had tried to carry it while holding it at arms length?
♥ Nicole
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