Stuck: When the Same Wave Knocks You Down Again

Are you familiar with that frustrating feeling that comes with being stuck in a rut? As I drive my crazy bus through life, I seem to unknowingly steer right into the mud and find my wheels spinning. Again. In fact, I've written about it here before! Am I the only one with repeat struggles?It's as though the same wave knocks me down over and over.It feels defeating to find myself in the same place again. Letting my life drift into an ugly rut, a funk that seems to paralyze me is not new to me, and I'm tired of waking up to the realization, "I'm stuck again."I believe there are struggles, temptations, propensities, that each of us battle, unique to our souls. For some it's addiction, for some it's ugly self-talk and insecurity, and for others it's a well of anger that boils over often than we desire. Even Superman had kryptonite.As we push forward on our journeys, we will struggle. It's a messy journey, but we cannot allow shame to accompany us. When we have failed again, lost a battle, fallen on our faces, the enemy sends shame to our side to convince us we are no good. Losers. Finished.I don't know how to label my struggle; I don't have a name for it. Sometimes I wonder if there's something wrong with me. Shame says, "you'll never get past this." I am reminded of Paul who spoke of having "a thorn" in his flesh that he asked God to take away. Several times.I find myself here in this uninspired, defeated, fearful rut again and I wonder how I got here. I have searched God's word for his promises and asked him to reach down and pull me out onto solid ground. I am believing that he heard me and will answer.I'm hanging on to the words of a song, "Reckless Love of God."There's no shadow he won't light up, mountain he won't climb up coming after me. There's no wall you won't kick down, lie you won't tear down coming after me. God's word tells us that he is like a shepherd who will leave the 99 in the flock to go after the one who is lost. I think about that kind of love, the kind that stops at nothing to protect and to rescue. Overwhelming that God would love us like that, but he does.As I pray and ask for help, I ask God to show me the step I need to take. One thing I've learned is that there are days, moments when I just need to do the next thing. Funny, how simple that thing can be. It may be just to clean the kitchen or go for a walk. Sometimes it's something tougher, like making a phone call to one who has hurt me or giving up a pleasure that has taken over my days.God has never told me to just sit in my rut a while longer. He's never left me on my face in the dirt, and said, "I've had it with you." He comes after me, picks me up, dusts me off and sets me on the right path. He's so good.David, who wrote most of the book of Psalms, had experienced this grace and goodness.He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.  Psalm 18:16-19I don't know where you are today, on a mountain top or knee deep in mud and struggling down your path, or hiding out in shame believing the lies of the enemy. I do know one thing. God is for us. He delights in us, and he promises to draw near to us when we draw near to him. He is our hope.