Tag: stuck

Getting to the root of feeling stuck and waiting
on God’s “bigger” and “better”

Have you ever felt stuck. I mean really stuck in life. The kind where all around you there seems to be this beautiful momentum but your life is just on hold or at most a slow progression in some unknown space. Maybe you have just come out of some momentum of your own but now there just seems to be that same old routine and that initial fire for purpose has dimmed down to a quiet ember. And apart from the occasional encounter with someone or an inspirational message here and there it really doesn’t seem like your life is moving in the purposeful or epic direction you had hoped for.

Should any of this hit home, let me assure you, that you are in good company my friend. I would like to describe myself generously as a visionary. I am not the greatest at executing plans but man can I dream up an epic adventure. Hanging on to so many words and dreams that spoke into my life I have spent much time longing for that purpose, that mind-blowing adventure to commence. Now, of course I have had inspiring and purpose-driven seasons in life. Times where I have witnessed God move in crazy and exciting ways. But every one of those “take offs” was followed by a crash-landing back to daily life.
From spiritual high to spiritual low.

One look at scripture and you will see that this is not something that seems to be highly unusual. Some of the passages and stories in God’s word happen to include lengthy seasons of desert – literally. This is not to say that some of my own loss of momentum in life hadn’t been on account of my own error, but God’s design for our life with him does seem to include a desert every now and again. It’s in those desert places where the nitty-gritty character-shaping workout often takes place. Where God seems quiet, and your best efforts seem to be but hot air.

I wish I could tell you a bullet proof way of getting out of that place, a way to kick-start that epic-God-given-purpose you have been waiting for. Maybe something that you read today gives you that kick – great! – if not, allow me to at least give you a fresh perspective today. I want to share with you a bitter-sweet truth that I am currently processing. Most likely a truth you have heard before – but reminders never hurt. 

Last Thursday evening my small group met to exchange their thoughts concerning previous Sunday’s message “heavenly ambition”. Prompted by one of the guys in the group, we all shared what we believe to be our “heavenly” ambition. And as I was listening, I reflected on my own “Paul-sized” ambitions; being a missionary and visiting all our partnering churches, helping with youth programs in less fortunate countries, being a known teacher/speaker around the globe, leading and discipling youth and young women and so on… when all of a sudden God interrupted my dreaming with a question:

How can you get so excited about a ministry in another country but feel contempt about the place I placed you in right now? Why do you feel a love for the youth in Armenia, but lack that same passion for the youth in your neighbourhood?

Ouch.
Allow me to elaborate…
I had been serving in the youth ministry in my church but lately had just not seen a lot of momentum anymore. As a teacher at a local school my hope for a revival among students and teachers had slowly faded. And my prayers for the people around me had been largely replaced with prayers for my day to day worries and challenges. I had become increasingly discouraged. And with growing discouragement my commitment and passion had begun to fade and my desire and hopes for some “bigger” and “better” purpose had begun to consume my daily dreaming.

And this is where God met me. Right where I was at, with a simple but profound question.

The simple truth, my friend, is that God had called me to serve just where I was at and had no intention of giving me a “new” assignment just because my passion for his initial calling was growing dim. He had given me a vision for my youth at church, at school and for the people around me and this had not changed but my efforts surely had.

And while others in my small-Groupe finished sharing their take on “heavenly” ambition the round came to a close with some final reflections from the guy who had prompted us in the first place:

It seems that we often get lost in desiring some ambition that someone else may be walking in – ambition that seems so much more exciting and glorious than the one we feel called to. And when you add all the noise of social-media-comparison on top of that you find yourself in a fog unable to see where you should be going. Each of us has a unique calling and like the analogy of the body being made up of many parts (1.Corinthians 12:12-27) the ambitions God has for us may certainly not be the same as that of someone else. Furthermore, our ambitions are to serve the body (the church of Christ) as one and therefor are crucial to those around us. So, us desiring and dreaming about someone else’s ambition will confuse us and, in that space, we will fail to walk in the purposes of God for our lives and those around us.”

There it is. Simple and sweet and maybe a bit bitter.
I don’t doubt for a second that God is keenly interested in taking you onto an amazing adventure and using you most mightily for his kingdom purpose in this lifetime on earth. However, his word also reminds us that God is looking for those faithful stewards.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” – Luke 16:10

This is God’s kingdom principle. The most epic stories in the bible are testimony to this principle. Allow me to remind you of some:

• David anointed to become king, first spent years tending to his family’s sheep and protecting them and leading an outcast army in the desert before being placed as king to protect and lead the people of Israel.
• Joseph had only a dream to hold on, while serving faithfully and with integrity as a slave for years before being put in charge as second over the Egyptian empire.
• Job had no glimpse of God’s working for 37 chapters as he wrestled through loss and despair yet finding a place to worship God regardless of it all. And then also was raised up and walked into God’s blessings for his life.

And these are but a few of so many lives governed by this principle. Now, I do hope that your journey will not include years of deserts, but it is in those times that God has equipped those he called. So, take heart and ignite that passion for the purposes set before you today. Be it praying for that person God had placed on your heart, serving in kids church, sharing Christ’s love with your grumpy co-worker, or encouraging that stranger you walk past every so often. I believe God is looking for obedient and faithful people. Yes, a people who desire and dream big-kingdom dreams, but also those who will humble themselves where God placed them.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
– 1 Peter 5:6

This then is my prayer for you. That you may take courage from God’s word and the testimony of those who have walked before you in God’s purposes. I pray that the Holy Spirit may remind you of the places God has called you and equipped you to serve today. That you may experience his favour in those places and his grace in the desert places. That you may clothe yourselves in joy and contentment as Paul “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstance” (Philippians 4:11) and throw off all discouragement and discontent.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)