What happens when you get stuck?
Do you ever hit a wall? Feel overwhelmed by all the doing required in day-to-day survival? Want to punch something or just go cry, because every corner you turn seems to bring one more task, job, or “should,” that you can’t seem to check off a never-ending list? Does it seem like all your hope and motivation have up-and-gone, leaving you wanting to hide for a while?
Yeah, me too. The big-dreamer in me doesn’t help matters, because if seeing someone else’s achievements wasn’t enough, my brain is always spinning with “must try” ideas and I can’t keep up with my own self.
And in some backward way, even being a “good Christian girl” and studying devotional books can sometimes leave me feeling helpless, never able to live up to my imaginings of what a good wife, mama, and all-around-woman looks like. With good intentions, I stare at my stack(s) of books to read, or I open one and dig in, only to find the inspiring words have added pressure to my ongoing sense that somehow I’m always behind the times, missing out, and not living up.
And then I find myself stuck.
I either avoid my planner altogether (though I can’t avoid my spinning thoughts) or I find a way run away, picking a new activity to distract me from all I’m not getting done. I may do nothing, choosing instead to check out into a pretend world by way of a new show, or do some shopping, sure I’ll find that thing I need to make me feel better about the un-checked items on the never-ending list.
You can relate?
Well, here’s what I’m learning. Or maybe I’m remembering it, perhaps for the bazillionth time.
Sometimes we need to take one teeny, tiny, toe-length step ahead and just do something.
We may not be able to complete our novel, or remodel our dreary kitchen, or learn to hand-letter, or start our own thriving business today. But we might be able to write two paragraphs, spilling out what’s on our minds that God is teaching us just for today. We may find time and a few dollars to organize two cabinets and free up breathing room on our shelves, making meal prep tonight a little easier. It could be that we can pull out the kids’ Crayola watercolors and a dollar store brush and paint a coloring page, getting food for our souls and letting those creative juices flow for a few minutes, even inviting them to join in.
We’ve heard it said a million times: don’t compare the messy middle of your story with someone else’s grand climax. Don’t compare your behind-the-scenes with someone else’s highlight reel. Don’t beat yourself up for real life, when you’re watching someone else’s highly polished, perfectly curated social media stream. Instead, friend, I invite you today to let yourself off the hook. Maybe jot down the ideas that flutter through your head today, grander ideas that might take some time. But instead of letting yourself get caught up in overwhelm because you can’t finish it all today, just take one move toward settling into the person God’s molding you to be. Stop everything. Find a quiet spot (even if it’s – ahem – the bathroom for a few sacred moments) and leave your phone outside the door. Ask God to show you one thing He wants your heart to know, one step He wants you to take, just for now. Go a step deeper (and wiser), and open your Bible and let Him speak eternally-true truths, showing you more of Himself and who are are/are becoming, in Him.
Yes – by all means, create a masterpiece of a meal! Make a genius craft! Purge your closet and try that tutorial you’ve had pinned and do a life-altering workout, if you have time. But just in case you’re human, give yourself permission to put those all on hold till tomorrow, and for today, just take one small step. Just ask your good, good Father, who loves you, to show Himself to you.
(I’m preaching to me today – because my heart needed it. 😉 Maybe yours did, too? )
A resource for you with hope and motivation:
Recently I ordered the book Just Do Something for one of our kiddos who’s walking through a frustrating season of life. I’m going to dig in before I pass it along, but I knew the author’s vision and I was encouraged just reading the description.
And if you want a resource I created just for you, grab the printable planner page below, to get started on a gentle plan for your next week… one step at a time.
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