Jen is dealing with a situation right now that has her feeling stuck. She’s not sure what to do about it and doesn’t feel like she can take it much longer. She feels like she is just a step away from panicking and doing something desperate.

There’s nothing worse than feeling stuck.

Whether it’s an addiction, a chronically troubled relationship, financial distress, or an impossible work environment, circumstances like these can leave us feeling hopeless.

In the psalms, David once compared his problems to being trapped in a slime pit of sorts. It was a situation he really wanted to get out of but couldn’t, at least not for a while. It was too deep, too complex.

In Psalm 40, he tells the story:

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
² He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.

You see, David was way down but not so far down that the Lord could not reach him. By God’s grace, he went “from the mire to the choir.” Based on his survival account, here are a few moves you can make, even when you feel stuck.

1. Pray through it. We say this a lot, but it bears repeating. David said the Lord “heard my cry” (v. 1). That means he had been praying from the depths, asking God for relief. And his prayer probably didn’t sound all nice and composed. Literally, it was a cry for help and that’s a cry that God always hears.

   

2. Patiently persevere. Notice David said “I waited patiently for the Lord” (v. 1). We all know that God doesn’t necessarily intervene immediately when we are in crisis. This can be frustrating. Why would He leave us in a pit? Though it is very hard to understand, especially when you feel stuck, there is greater potential for growth in crisis than there is in comfort. God knows your breaking point and He will faithfully provide what you need, when you need it (I Corinthians 10:13).
3. Practice His presence. The image we have of God being “up there” staring down at us as we wallow in the mud and cry for help is not an accurate one. Jesus told the disciples He would be with them always and, by the Spirit, He fulfills this promise today. So don’t imagine God outside of your situation. See Him right smack in the middle of it, with you.

Feeling stuck is hard, but the good news is you are not actually stuck – it just feels like it. There are moves you can make. And because of the cross and resurrection of Jesus, there is hope for a breakthrough, no matter how unbeatable your situation seems to be.

Here’s to getting unstuck.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.