May 07, 2012
by Colleen Swindoll Thompson
Getting stuck is a bummer. Just for a moment, let’s list a few “stucks”:
- Stuck in traffic
- Stuck on a test
- Stuck on a project
- Stuck while trying to fix something
- Stuck in the mud
- Stuck in a dead-end career
- Stuck in life
Our minds can also get stuck in a rut of one-way thinking—the inability to think our way out of a difficult situation or being stuck in the mental fog of confusion and bewilderment.
Crisis is like a gigantic sinkhole . . . suddenly, the earth gives way and our lives tumble into a “no man’s land,” and we feel stuck. We’re trapped, craving to get out of the hole, but the Lord doesn’t allow it. It stinks to sink, but while you’re stuck in a hole, keep these in mind:
- It’s okay to be mad and angry.
- It’s okay to sleep when you are exhausted.
- It’s okay to not know the answer.
- It’s okay to feel lost.
- It’s okay to feel scared.
- It’s okay to cry.
- It’s okay to doubt your beliefs and convictions.
- It’s okay to lose or forget things.
- It’s okay to have huge emotional shifts.
- It’s okay to say, “Though I don’t like this now, I will choose to believe God is sitting by me, so I might as well talk with Him about it all.”
Sinkholes don’t last forever. Although sinkholes shift and shake us and try to pull us under, they also force us to examine life. If you choose to examine life, to seek wisdom from spiritual directors, support from secure friends, and hide Scripture deep in your heart; you will cultivate a deeper faith, unshakable convictions, more balance, greater hope, tender humility, and an abundance of grace.
Colleen Swindoll Thompson holds a bachelor of arts degree in Communication from Trinity International University as well as minors in psychology and education. Colleen serves as the director of Reframing Ministries at Insight for Living Ministries. From the personal challenges of raising a child with disabilities (her son Jonathan), Colleen offers help, hope, and a good dose of humor through speaking, writing, and counseling those affected by disability. Colleen and her husband, Toban, have five children and reside in Frisco, Texas.
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