Are You Stuck in a Rut?

Do you ever feel stuck in a rut?

As I got out to walk in the neighborhood on this beautiful warm February afternoon, I noticed they were paving one of the streets. Before paving, they will send in trucks to create ruts in the asphalt to create a surface for the smooth new layer of asphalt to stick to. As I stopped to admire the texturized mess that had been created before the final product was applied, a million life lessons hit me like one of those dump trucks on the road.

I feel like I am slowing digging myself out of a personal rut I allowed myself to fall in. Over the course of the past 2 years I have lost a sense of my personal value and self worth. Confident in my abilities, but feeling like people were tired of what I had to say or the style I could offer, waiting for permission to shine, or feeling like I had to take the backseat to the ego of others. 

I am here to tell you, ruts in the road of life are not a bad thing. (unless you trip on them and break your shoulder, but I’ll save that story for another day) A lot of clarity can be discovered by pulling yourself out of those ruts. It is during these times that it imperative to be honest with yourself, allow your emotions to rise to the surface and let go of them. 

I am so bad about trying to figure everything out on my own and not allowing others to help me or fully surrendering my thoughts and desires to the Lord.

Lately I have been finding comfort in…

• Daily Bible reading and prayer
• Limiting sugar and eating whole foods that will nourish my body
• Quality nutritional supplements to support weak areas
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Walks in the sunshine
• Journaling emotional triggers and feelings
• Discussing my thoughts and emotions with my core 5 people who matter

I can tell a huge difference in my outlook and attitude when I stay consistent with each of those things. 

As I continued on my walk around the neighborhood, after dwelling on the ruts in the road, my mind took me back to the Summer after 8th grade. I was at an FC Summer camp and a teenager gave a morning devotion that pricked my heart. I don’t remember all the words, but it had something to do with not living your life in a rut. I grew up knowing what I needed to do to be saved, but it was that night I finally gave my life to the Lord and accepted Jesus as my Savior and was baptized in Lake Martin. I love how the Spirit gives us gentle reminders along the way to remind us that he is still with us and wants to help guide us out of the big and small ruts we find ourselves in.

If that triggered memory wasn’t enough, this sweet reminder was in my daily Bible reading app…

Psalm 40: 1-3 (ESV)

1

I waited patiently for the Lord;

    he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 

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.

3 

He put a new song in my mouth,

    a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

    and put their trust in the Lord.

We can’t put a price tag on our worth, because we have all been bought with a price that we can’t do enough good works to repay. Today I am thankful for this gentle and humbling reminder that my words and actions could be just what someone else needs to hear to take the steps to get out of their own personal rut.