While watching cartoons as a kid, did you ever notice how the characters’ legs would move when they were running, but they didn’t actually go anywhere for several seconds? As a kid, it made me laugh, but as an adult, I can relate to those cartoon characters. My life feels like that sometimes–I’m trying to get somewhere, and my feet are ready to go, but the rest of me needs to be convinced to move. Those few seconds of running in place don’t seem like too much in the moment, but when it happens every time I move, I find myself in a pothole of my own making. Then, it requires even more effort to make it back to level ground, where I once again have to build momentum to actually move. Maybe you feel more like you are stuck in the mud, where your spinning wheels can’t get traction and you end up sinking even deeper. Perhaps you’re not stuck at all, but you’re spinning too fast on the merry-go-round to jump off, or you’re carrying such heavy baggage on your journey that an inch feels like a mile. Whatever scenario fits, we all find ourselves victims of our routines.
Routines can bring us stability and comfort, make us more efficient, and protect us from bad decisions, but too often, instead of using them as tools, we lean on them like crutches. So, just how do we get out from under our routines? I don’t know your circumstances, so I’m not going to attempt to provide “ten steps to get out of your rut”, or “four quick fixes for your routine.” I’m just going to suggest one simple thing…do one thing differently today. Finish a project you’ve been avoiding. Try a new drink, a new book, or a new road. Get up early to see the sunrise. Stay up later to gaze at the stars. What leads to a rally in a baseball game? One hit. What creates a campfire? One spark. What begins a song? One note. One may be the loneliest number, but who says one has to stay alone!
In Zechariah 4: 6, God tells us we build momentum, “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty—you will succeed because of my Spirit, though you are few and weak.’” In verse 10, God adds, “Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin.” It doesn’t matter if the beginning is small, or the destination is far, because even a single step can build momentum when we rely on God.
In God’s Love,
Kim
