Being stuck in life can feel a lot like being imprisoned. You can see, just beyond your reach, the life you know you’re supposed to live yet you cannot seem to make positive strides toward achieving that life. We’ve all been there. You may be there right now. Take heart in knowing that you are not alone, and there are some simple things you can do to make sure that being stuck doesn’t become your indefinite way of life.
Full transparency. I have been stuck more than once in my life. I’ve felt stuck professionally, in my marriage, multiple times in my business aspirations, and even in writing things like this article you’re reading now. Initially, I allowed being stuck to make me wonder if I was ever going to see the life I believe God-designed for me. In fact, I’d been stuck professionally for so long that I wondered if I’d even heard God’s calling correctly or was it just my own desire speaking to me. If you’ve been there then you know how this feels.
Did I give up? I didn’t, but there were several times when I wanted to quit. One thing that made the difference for me was the formula from three verses of Scripture that I’d read myriad times.
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:12-14
Sitting in a Roman jail, Paul’s experience of feeling imprisoned wasn’t figurative like ours. But even then he found a way to ensure that this wasn’t his permanent state of being. Here are the lessons we can learn from Paul.
Face the Truth About Where You Are
It’s hard to deny your locked up when you are literally in chains as Paul was in Rome. But sometimes we deny the reality of our current state, believing that it will help us out. It doesn’t. When I know where you are right now, you are able to plan where you are in relation to where you want to be. You are also able to figure out what actions are needed to move in the direction you desire. None of this can happen when you are denying the truth.
If your marriage is in a bad state, telling yourself that everything is lovely doesn’t help at all. If you are 30 pounds overweight with high cholesterol, denying the numbers on the scale or the results of your bloodwork are the wrong things to do. Instead, you need to recognize where you are right now acknowledging that this isn’t where you want to be.
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.
Philippians 3:12a
Determine That This Isn’t Where You Will End
If you know where you are, and that it isn’t where God, or you, want to be, then it is easier to make a commitment that this is not the end. When I failed out of college following my freshman year (I was having way too much fun and doing too little work) I determined that my story wouldn’t end there. As I spent the next year working a job in retail, I rose daily realizing that there was a plan for me that included returning to school and completing my degree. Where I was wasn’t going to deter what I knew I was created for.
Trust me. If it worked for Paul, and it worked for me, it can work for you too. Where you are now, no matter how far from your desired end, doesn’t have to be permanent. It is up to you to develop that mindset, and commit to that truth.
But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
Philippians 3:12b
Take a Single Action That Moves You Toward Your Goal
Sometimes when you are stuck, trying to get a whole plan for reengagement can seem daunting. So stop trying to get a whole plan. Instead, answer this question. What one thing can you do next that will move me closer to my goal. You don’t need to know or do everything, but just one thing. Think of it like a car stuck in a rut. All you need to do is rock the car loose of the rut and then you can begin moving forward again. All you need to do is take the one action that will get you moving positively toward your intended end, and then you can reengage or retool your plan from there.
So where are you stuck in lifeIs it your marriage? Is it your health? Is it your profession? Is it your business? Don’t deny the you’re stuck. Face it. Then determine that being stuck isn’t going to be your permanent state. Finally, determine to do just one thing to get yourself moving in the right direction. Maybe its just declaring, like Paul, that the past is the past and you’re forgetting everything that hasn’t worked. I can attest, personally, that these steps have worked for me in every area I’ve discussed. They can work for you too.
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13b-14
What’s holding you back from doing any of these three things? Are you willing to give these things a try if you’re stuck?