Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 3:13-14
Ruts.
Those troublesome things that are easy to fall into and hard to get out of. A great definition of a rut is a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive, but is hard to change. Sounds about right.
Ruts in our life are made by repeated decisions and actions that we know are unhealthy for us, but the more we do them, the deeper we cut the rut.
The problem with ruts is that they will always pose a danger. Continually attempting to pull us back in, watching for every opportunity to trap, to put us under its dead end routine.
Every farmer knows the only way to deal with a rut is to completely get rid of that rut. This could be as simple as filling it in with rocks and dirt and packing it down. But for those really stubborn ruts, those established ruts, those need to be excavated out, taken all the way down and then that area has to be built back up. It takes time and effort, but it’s the only way.
Our life is no different.
There are those mistakes we make and learn from relatively quickly. Minor mishaps that we quickly correct and fill in before they can erode the ground of our faith.
But then there are the others. The bigger, deeper ones. Mistakes we follow up with bad decisions. Over and over and over again, it seems we cannot or do not want to move. Maybe it’s that we have no idea how to get out of those ruts. Maybe we just enjoy being in those ruts because we mistakenly think that is who we have become. Regardless of the reason, when we are stuck in a rut it is hard to find a way out.
The worst part is that every mistake that is followed by bad decisions digs that rut deeper each time. Sometimes we dig ruts in our ruts and there is a perpetual destruction that follows. There is no doubt that the bigger the rut, the easier it is to fall into.
The truth is, the ruts of sin are never satisfied. The only solution is that they get dug out from their origin, from the core cause. Fortunately if you are a born-again believer, every tool is at your disposal. But as with any tool, it remains useless until you pick it up and put your effort behind it.
The enemy will always attempt to remind us of who we once were, attempting to knock us back into the ruts. There is only one answer, one solution, one way out.
Christ propels us to our new self, created through His blood and sustained by His Spirit. When our faith is placed on the Rock, though we may make mistakes, we, by His power and His grace no longer need to follow that mistake up with a bad decision.
Will you allow the Rock to rid you of those nasty ruts? Seek Him and you will find Him. When you find Him, rely upon Him.
Jason Metz, lead Pastor
