CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 925

“Get Out of the Rut”

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. (Psalm 40:2-3)

When I was young (and foolish, some would say) I loved to go four-wheeling with my Jeep. As a consequence I have had to get myself out of many ruts over the years.

There are however other kinds of ruts that we can get into in life. Our jobs can feel like a rut, doing the same thing at the same place in the same way, day in and day out. When couples take each other for granted their marriage can feel like they are in a rut. We can also get into a rut physically, emotionally and spiritually.

You know you are in a rut when you have lost the enthusiasm and excitement for each new day. You have gone from ‘being in the groove’ to being stuck in a rut. The good news is that there is hope and that hope is found through Jesus Christ. He can revive your heart. For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)

Are you motivated to get out of your rut? One or more factors are necessary to motivate us to get out of our rut. The rut has to be painful and it has to apply pressure in order to motivate us to change. There also needs to be a vision, hope or promise of something better.

When your physician tells you to change your lifestyle or risk heart disease and stroke, you have the pressure to motivate you out of your rut.

When your spouse says they want a divorce, you feel the pain to motivate you to go to marriage counseling and get out of your rut.

When your boss says that your work performance is not up to par and you risk losing your job you feel the pressure to break out of your rut.

In order to get out of our rut we have to first accept responsibility for being there in the first place. Just like I chose to take my Jeep down a trail that got me stuck, we too choose questionable paths and make lifestyle choices that are not in our best interest. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-9)

Don’t procrastinate your decision to break out of the rut. When you say you will do it ‘one of these days’ you really are saying ‘none of these days’. If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never sow anything and never harvest anything. (Ecclesiastes 11:4; Good News Translation)

There is a lifestyle groove of peace and joy that is found in walking with Jesus. Believe you can – through Christ. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)