Do you feel stuck?
Sometimes we are like the Israelites before they took the Promised Land, stuck in the wilderness and going in circles year after year after year.
No forward movement!
Stuck in the same routine, over and over again.
They had the promise from God of one day dwelling in their Promised Land, the land of Israel, but it simply wasn’t happening.
Do you feel the same?
I do believe that you can get unstuck by applying the following 3 biblical keys that will help you to make the most of every season in your life.
I’ve experienced this sense of being stuck over my years of ministry. At times it feels like you’re just going in circles, and not seeing the breakthrough. You’re putting in the effort, but with minimal fruit or impact.
At other times, as you remain faithful to the Lord, you keep on pushing into the things of God and suddenly things begin to change.
It’s as if the Lord miraculously causes everything to come together in a mind boggling God-glorifying way. It is such a marvelous moment!
I believe we’re in such a season right now, a season of breakthrough. A time where things come together beautifully.
May your faith be stirred in the God with whom all things are possible.
Key #1 for Getting Unstuck – Believe that breakthrough is coming
Being stuck will look different for each of us.
Are you not growing spiritually? Or your career isn’t moving forward? Or the things you’ve been dreaming about, or even have promises for from the Lord, just doesn’t seem to be coming to pass?
When you feel stuck, the voice of the enemy can so easily gnaw at your faith, and steal your joy. The doubts can begin to creep in, and trick you into giving up, and to stop dreaming.
Don’t stop dreaming.
Don’t give up.
Rather put your faith in the Almighty who is able to get you unstuck.
Let your faith in the Lord pull you forward, moving you beyond the barriers you might be facing right now. Believe that breakthrough is coming.
Sometimes you need to simply speak to the situation, to the mountain in your life to energise your faith that, “Breakthrough is coming.”
I can imagine Joshua was in such a predicament just before they moved into the Promised land in Joshua chapter 1. Moses was dead. They were in a season of transition. The time had come to move out, to take the land.
What struggles were going through Joshua’s head?
Possibly thoughts like, “We’ve been stuck for 40 years in the desert. A whole generation died out. So many people I loved are gone.”
“I remember all the failures, the disappointments of the past season.” “This time round, is it going to be the same? Will we try to take the Promised land, and yet fail, again?”
I guess that is why God spoke to Joshua over and over again to not be afraid, to be strong and courageous.
To counter all these doubts and fears with God’s truth.
The world is in a season of transition right now. There have been loads of disappointments, failures, and probably people you have loved that you’ve lost in this past season.
In every season there will be disappointments.
You can’t allow the disappointments to define you, rather you must hold onto the Lord with childlike faith.
Key # 2 for Getting Unstuck – Embrace the Promise of the Set Time
This account in Joshua 1 also reveals the power of the set time.
There is a set time where God causes everything to come together beautifully.
The Israelites set time came to take the land, and I believe it is the same for many of us in this season right now. May it be true for you as well.
I read this passage in the Psalms and it jumped out at me, I just knew that this is a word for us now, and I trust it will encourage you.
Psalm 102:13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.
You can replace “zion” with your context. Every promise in the Scriptures is yours through faith in Jesus Christ.
God, You will arise and have mercy on Shofar East London (our local church), for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.
You will arise and have mercy on your church, your sons and daughters, for the time to favour her, yes, the set time, has come.
Add your name in there. Declare it. Take this promise to heart.
The set time has come for you! The time to favour you has come.
Believe it.
Hold onto the promise of the set time, seek the Lord again with all your heart and move out to take your Promised land.
Key # 3 for Getting Unstuck – There is no season wasted when you’re faithful in the small things of God
When you’re going through a storm, and you’re just holding on for dear life, then that is still a win.
It might feel like you didn’t move forward in the storm, but when you keep on trusting in the Lord even though you stumbled at times, and yet you got back up again, it is a huge win.
That is moving forward.
The set time is coming.
You’ve passed the tests when you haven’t walked away from the Lord, or even if you have, you have returned to Him.
The set time of divine favour is knocking on your door.
If you find yourself in the wilderness, and it feels like you’re not moving forward, know that God will use the season, especially when you remain faithful to Him.
There is no season that is wasted by God.
Seek the Lord, be faithful in small things like loving others, keep on trusting in Him, and even when you feel like you’re not moving forward God is doing a deep work in you, preparing you for the set time to take your Promised land.
When you’re not taking external land, you are still taking land on the “inside”.
Your character is growing. Your faith is being forged in the furnace of life. Simply be faithful in the small things, then God will give you more opportunities.
Faithful Servant
We see this principle revealed in the parable that Jesus shared about the faithful servant.
Luke 19:17 (The Message)17 “He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you’ve been trustworthy in this small job, I’m making you governor of ten towns.’
The servant was faithful in the small thing that the King committed to his care, and guess what, he was greatly promoted!
Be faithful to the process and the Lord will bring the promotion.
When you take it day by day committing yourself to the process of growing in God and doing His will in the small things, then the Lord will take care of the big things in your life.
Trials take you deeper into God
I have discovered the joy of standing strong in the Lord in the midst of all kinds of trials.
It is painful in the moment, but it produces the most wonderful results within us, purifying our faith, causing us to die to self, and in this way it truly prepares us for stepping into our God-ordained destiny.
Trials and temptations are our invitation to go deeper into God. Let it drive you deeper into God.
1 Peter 1:6–7 (NLT) 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.
7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
The above passage reveals that every season can truly be a set time, a time of favour because you are moving forward, even if it’s invisible to the outside world. God is always working and He is always moving, preparing you for fulfilling His good plans for His glory.
When you stand strong in the Lord it “will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed.” That is a stunning promise.
If you want to get unstuck, then:
- Believe that breakthrough is coming, and allow faith in the Lord to strengthen you.
- Hold onto the promise of the set time, that there is a moment where God miraculously causes things to come together.
- Your current season is not wasted at all as you hold onto the Lord and remain faithful in the small things that He has committed to you.
I want to leave you with this final verse. It’s a passage that has often imparted courage to me, especially in seasons of great difficulty.
May it do the same for you.
Joshua 1:9 (NLT) This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Be strong in Him. The Lord is your strength and He is with you.
May you experience the set time this season, as God moves on your behalf and causes you to take your land in Jesus name.
What do you do to make the most of difficult “desert” seasons? Leave a comment below.
Trusting for a special season of favour, movement and overcoming for you,
André
PS: For more on this topic of committing to the process check out this message I shared on Holy Habits for a Prosperous year.
