Stuck in the Muck
Dec 05, 2022
Hello Friend,
Just a quick note about the author of this blog (me) before we get started. I am a self-proclaimed, beyond help, in my opinion, claustophobic.
Hmm. My spell check is telling me there is no such word in the Webster dictionary. Ok, well, I’m here to tell you, Webster might not acknowledge a word for this condition, but it does indeed exist! And I have it!!!
I only mention this condition because our topic today, “stuck in the muck” conjures up the same kinds of emotions that I experience when I’m in a situation that triggers my claustophobia.
Panic
To be honest, it was kind of an understatement when I said it “triggers my emotions”. Whether I’m in a building with no windows; riding an inside ride at Disney world; or visiting the Carlsbad Caverns, I am always seeking out the exit signs. In fact, I have it so bad, that pretty much all I remember, after getting off that Peter Pan Disney ride, is where every single exit sign showed up along the way. (and if you’ve never been to Disney - trust me, there are a lot more exciting things to remember than the exit signs!)
A true claustrophobic - Oh wow. It actually auto corrected this time and seems I left a very vital “r” out of the picture. (Ok, I think you can find it in the dictionary now)
Anyways, as I was saying, a true claustrophobic not only knows how to spell what they are, but they can go from 0 to 60, reaching panic mode in record time! And I’m talking about panic as in, hard to breath, maybe I should just jump out of this airplane, kind of panic. That might be why I haven’t flown in over 42 years. (You think?). Or at least why my family members haven’t pushed me onto an airplane with them yet.
Perspective from Scripture
Now, we all know that panic only makes things worse, right? So, if you feel stuck today in the muck of your life – don’t panic!!!! I’m here to tell you there is a way out. Take a look at what God did for one of his chosen in the past and is ready and willing to do for you, another of his chosen.
“I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. (muck!) He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:1-3(NIV)
Making it Personal
I don’t always do this, but this text is personal to me – so, I’m going to put my own twist on it for you. Read it again if you will, but not as something God did for David, but rather what God will do for you in the future.
Wait patiently for the LORD to help you and he will turn to you and hear your cry. He will lift you out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He will set your feet on solid ground and steady you as you walk along. He will give you a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to your God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.
Did you catch that last part? Someday, because of your personal journey, people will look at what God did for you and be amazed. What’s more, they will put their trust in him because of you. Wow!
Change is Key
In my past experiences, I’ve learned that getting out of the muck always requires change of some sort. If your truly stuck, just sitting in the same situation, doing the same things you’ve always done, will not get you out! There’s just no way around it. Change is going to be key to getting you out of that muck your stuck in! But stay with me for just a few more minutes. It’s not as bad as you think.
First, let’s do a quick review - just to make sure you didn’t miss the point of this blog. Your stuck in the muck of life, right? You know now that God has seen your predicament, heard your cries and will pull you out of the muck and the mire. He’s even going to put your feet back on solid ground and give you a whole new song to sing (Maybe even a whole new purpose to life) But did you catch what your part was in all this? You will be the one to take that first step towards change. Even if God has to lift you out, you are still the one that has to extend your hand up through the muck and reach for his help.
That’s right. Your part is to take that first step toward change that God knows you need to take (whatever it is) in order to get unstuck and onto solid ground again. In fact, just the topic of change is so important (and misunderstood) that I will definitely be blogging on it some more in the future!
I know that change is a scary word. Especially if you are trying just to survive in a world of overwhelm. But it really is the key to you getting out of that muck that is keeping you stuck. And here’s the thing. It can be as slow or small as you want to make it.
Be assured, there are some great tools out there that I will share with you over time, that can make this kind of change relatively painless – even when you are living in chaos and overwhelm! And that my friend, is a change worth making! Especially if it gets you unstuck and moving again towards living your best life.
Until we meet again, always remember….even though you might not be able to see it now, you are still one that has been chosen4purpose.
This is Coach Teri - fulfilling my purpose so you can fulfill yours.
Just One More Thing
I would love to hear what’s keeping you stuck in the muck. Let’s touch base and talk some more. You can contact me through my website – chosen4purpose.org or click the link below to set up a free 45-minute discovery coaching session. Looking forward to hearing from you.