Stuck in a Rut

by Mike Burns

John 10:10  //  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

There are some things in my life that I want to be the same every day.

If I could have my coffee with cream and sugar every morning, I’d be happy. If my drive to drop off my kids at school and my drive to work could always be traffic-free, that’d be ideal. If I could listen to the playlist of music that I made in high school every day, I would be ecstatic!

There are a lot of things that I would love to stay the same. I can be change-adverse. But, there are a few things that would be world-ending if they stayed the same all of the time. 

The hard part is this: the things that are easiest to fall into a rut on are usually the most important. Think about it. The people and the places you are in the most proximity to have the highest risk of being monotonous.

Unless you’re a bullfighter, your job may be about the same every day. You clock in, work, eat lunch, work, 10-minute social media check (I don’t do that, I’ve just heard it’s something people do 😅), work, and clock out. 

In your relationship with your spouse. You get home from work, scroll Instagram to decompress and look for good pasta recipes, walk the dog, have dinner (tacos!), and after dinner TV while you both scroll TikToks and ask what just happened on the show, and then go to bed. 

With your kids — “Did you brush your teeth?” “Where did your other sock go?” “Quit hitting your brother!” “What’s the smell?” “No, seriously, did you brush your teeth?”

With your pet — “Who’s a good boy?” “How did you get my bagel off the counter!?!?” 

And, if we’re honest with ourselves, we even experience ruts in our relationship with God. How often have you caught yourself saying the same old prayers out of habit?

Not that there’s anything wrong with praying a familiar prayer but if it’s all you ever pray it’s easy to miss out on all that could be!

I know we’ve just passed the Christmas season but what I love so much about that time of year is the reminder of what Jesus coming to earth means for us.

I love that Christmas is full of color because it reminds us that God broke the whole world out of the monotony of darkness with the light of the world, Jesus! 

Jesus came to bring light, hope, and love to a world that desperately needed Him, and He can do the same thing in our lives and in our relationships with Him. In John 10:10, Jesus talks about what life can be like with Him, a life that is full!

In our journey to get closer to Jesus, we need to fight getting stuck in a rut, doing only enough to maintain the relationship. Let’s go after the full kind of life Jesus said we can have! 

Here are a few practical ideas on getting out or staying out of this kind of relational rut: 

1. Change your location.
If you always pray or read your Bible in bed, take your devotional time outside. Get in nature, a coffee shop, or someplace that fills you with awe!

2. Change the time.
Not a morning person? Me either! You don’t get bonus “God points” for praying before the sun comes up. Give God the best time of your day!

3. Change your attitude.
Don’t just pray about your problems, pray prayers of thanksgiving and joy! If you’re looking for the good things that God is doing, you’ll be able to see them more clearly. 

(All of these practical points will help in any relationship in your life!)

What will you do today that will help you get out of a rut and get closer to God?

Prayer

God, help shake up my life in the best way. I don’t want to miss the life I’m living and all that you’re doing. I want the full life you promise. In Jesus’s name, amen.