Three reasons why you’re stuck and what to do about it

Have you ever been so stuck you felt like you were hot-glued to your seat and no matter how you twisted and turned you couldn’t get yourself un-stuck? Not. Fun.

Monday morning the stopper in our bathroom sink got stuck in the down position. Of course, the sink was full of soapy water AND my camo leggings! My husband and I took turns trying to pry it loose but finally had to call a plumber. The funny thing about it was that he used an every day pocket knife to lift the lever, the exact same tool we had used, except I guess we just didn’t stick with it long enough.

Wouldn’t it be great if getting unstuck was always that easy?

I’ve gotten stuck in all kinds of areas: my writing, poor eating habits, negative thought patterns, repetitive relational responses. As much as I tried, I never seemed to make much progress.

I. Was. Stuck.

The problem was, I didn’t know WHY I was stuck.

 

You'll never get unstuck until you figure out WHY you're stuck. Share on X

How about you?

Are there areas in your life where you’re stuck, too? Maybe you’ve written the same resolutions every January 1^st for the past five years. Your journal entries are all starting to sound the same and your spouse is tired of hearing you complain. You’re tired of hearing yourself complain.

The struggle is real and then you compound it even more by heaping on the guilt. Now you’re really stuck. But take heart, friends; you’re in good company.

“What an agonizing situation I am in! So who has the power to rescue this miserable man… ? Romans 7:24 TPT

Jesus does. HE has the power to rescue you from your agonizing situation.

That’s the Good News.

The bad news is he probably isn’t going to wave a magic wand to do it. I so prefer the magic wand, don’t you?

 

 

3 reasons why I was stuck and why you might be, too

 

• Confusion about goals
• Not asking for help
• Lack of momentum

 

If you really want to get unstuck (and that in itself may require some soul searching—stuck can be comfortable) you’re going to have to do some work and maybe stick at it a little longer, just like the plumber did. There’s a way things work.

Verse 25 of Roman’s 7 says, “… my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles.”

OK. Which principles are we talking about, Susan? Here are three to get you started:

 

• God is not a God of confusion. 1^st Cor 14:33
• He is abundantly available to help. Ps 46:1 Ps 32:8
• Law of sowing and reaping Gal 6:9

 

Bottom line: You might be confused, but trust me, God’s not. There is help available, but you’ve got to ask for it and then you need to take action. Consistent action.

Now, how can you apply those principles to the areas where you’re stuck?

 

1. Get clear on your goals.

 

If you’re stuck, what would it look like to be un-stuck? Better communication with your spouse? Healthier eating habits? Consistent prayer and study time? A career change?

Pray. Ask for clarity and wisdom. Journal. Listen. Do some brainstorming and ask the Lord to give you a clear vision for what your intent should be. Be as specific as you can.

“Wisdom is a gift from a generous God and every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you. For the Lord has a hidden storehouse of wisdom made accessible to his godly lovers.” Prov 2:6-8.

 

 

2. Ask for help.

Yea, it’s humbling, but do it anyway. Self-help is no help. God is abundantly available to help and he uses people as his instruments. People really do want to help and you’ll make so much more progress when you have cheerleaders by your side. “Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.” Prov 11:14 MSG

Ask the Lord to show you who that person is. Look for the fruit in their life. You wouldn’t hire a physical trainer who’s out of shape, so don’t confide in the first person who is willing to listen. Search out mentors online, too. My writing exploded when I joined Hope*Writers, an online writing group.

 

 

3. Build momentum.

We live in an era of get-rich-quick, lose-weight-fast and overnight platform building. I wish it worked that way. You build momentum by showing up. One small action at a time. This is where my turtle fascination comes in: Slow and steady really does win the race!

Here’s an easy way to think about it:

 

Mass + Direction = Momentum

 

 

You have to take massive action towards a clear, specific goal. For me that means hitting the gym and eating tons of veggies; showing up at my desk everyday and putting in the writing time on my book and my blog. The focused consistency is paying off. 

“A passive person won’t even complete a project, but a passionate person makes good use of his time, wealth, and energy.” Prov 12:27 TPT

Oh, how I regret the projects I haven’t completed!

 

One of the secrets to getting unstuck is to just stick with it. Share on X

 

Motion triggers motivation

 

 

You probably didn’t get stuck overnight so chances are you won’t see the results all at once, but you can start by sticking your foot into the water. Take action, even if you’re not feeling it and don’t have an ounce of motivation. That’s ok.

 

Motion triggers motivation Share on X

 

If the only action you can bring yourself to take is to fall on your knees and cry, that’s OK, too; in fact, that’s perfect, but maybe you could plant a seed while you’re down there. Sow the Word into your situation. Pray his promises. Call some friends to hold up your arms. Ask Him to fight your battle but remember… you have a weapon, too. Worship is your weapon. It will get you un-stuck every time.

Do it today, friend. We need you here on the front lines.