6 Things to Do When You Feel Stuck in Life
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Did you ever used to play “stuck in the mud” as a child? If someone tagged you, you would have to remain in the same spot until someone else “unstuck” or freed you.
Are there situations in your life right now where you feel stuck, unable to make progress, and are waiting for someone or something to come along to change your situation? Maybe you are going through a season of unemployment and you feel stuck, or you are in a job feeling equally as stuck there. If you are experiencing illness and life seems to be carrying on without you, it can be really tough. Looking after those who are dependent on you may make you feel as if life is not moving much at all. Waiting for a spouse or longing to have a baby can be equally hard.
Life has a funny habit of continually moving forward whether we like it or not. Christian author and speaker Elisabeth Elliot once said, “the secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.” We can spend our days longing for a better tomorrow, or we can glorify Jesus with our today, for that really is all the time that we have.
Jesus sees your heart and knows your longing. Whatever situation you may feel stuck in at the moment, know that Christ is the King over it all and He wants to rule in your heart. Perhaps the “stickiness” of the situation will bring you closer to Him, so that you can know Jesus is a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
1. Pray
Share your heart with the Lord about your situation. Ask Him to help you through, and maybe reveal what He is trying to show you in this season. When Jonah was in the belly of the fish, he was well and truly stuck in there. Jonah 2:1-2 says, “From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God, saying: ‘In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.’” If you are not currently inside the belly of a fish, you can still take a note from Jonah who was physically stuck - pray to the Lord your God in your distress; call on Him for help and He will hear you.
2. Look Upward, Then Outward
Have you opened your Bible? In there, you will find the Word of God for His people that spans the centuries. Fix your eyes on Jesus and not on the circumstances. Listen to what He has spoken and draw comfort from the truth that is revealed in its pages. Let the Holy Spirit press upon you the hope of Jesus. He is your daily bread and the living water to meet every need. Depend on Him daily, and let go of your desire to control and be self-sufficient.
As you spend time in the Bible, let God also draw your attention to the needs of others. Who can you love and comfort today with the same love and comfort that you have received from Christ? Jesus “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
3. Reflect on Biblical Examples
God’s purposes are not “stuck,” and His plan has been in motion since before the foundations of the world. However, there were times when God’s people had the appearance of being stuck in their situation. Joseph was stuck in prison for an additional two years because his fellow inmate forgot about him when he was released. Yet, he would eventually go on to be second-in-command of all of Egypt and save his family and land from famine. The Jewish people were awaiting a Promised Messiah that would deliver them. We can see that these promises were fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, who saves both Jew and Gentile and delivers them from the power of sin and death.
As we read the Bible, we know the outcome of these situations, and we also know that one day Jesus will return. But we are no longer “stuck” in our sin because Christ freed us by His blood and sacrifice on the cross. We can wait for His return, worshiping and giving thanks, whilst telling others about this good news.
4. Step Out in Faith
Is there something practically you can do to help the situation that you are in? Think about small ways to take one step at a time. Develop regular habits and rhythms to get moving. Just do the next thing in front of you. If things are not changing in the way that you had hoped, see how the Lord might be using it. Perhaps it is to create a greater reliance and dependence upon Him. Maybe it is to refine your character, attitudes, and perspective, or maybe it is how your situation is being used to bless and help others. It is not about us, but always about the glory of God through us!
5. Practice Thanksgiving and Lament
When I was in hospital for two weeks receiving high-dose chemotherapy, I brought a little notebook with me. Every time I found something to be thankful for, I would jot it down. The smallest things went in there, because they became the big things. It was an incredibly dark, difficult season, and I could not leave the hospital. The sun was rising and setting outside of my bedroom window whilst I stayed in the same place. Doctors, nurses, cleaners, support staff, patients, and many other people would arrive and leave again, walking past my room. Having cancer had a way of making me feel like I was stuck in time. Yet, even time kept ticking and with every passing hour, there were things to give thanks for.
It is worth mentioning that at the back of the notebook I recorded the very real grief and pain I experienced. The Lord Jesus wants us to be honest before Him. He is with us in our struggles and suffering.
6. Remember You Are Placed for a Purpose
The Lord Jesus knows all about your situation. He cares for you, even when it seems your prayers for change go unanswered. Esther was able to come before King Xerxes with God’s help to save the Jewish people, even at the risk of her life. Before Esther approached the King, she asked her people, the Jews, to fast for three days and three nights. The circumstances seemed impossible, yet God used Esther to save His people from being massacred by an evil plot.
Let us remember the God we serve, knowing we can come before Him, and trusting that He is at work in all circumstances. Perhaps we are placed where we are “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
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