Unstuck – Week One

Rain was pouring down. Our mini-bus crammed with people traveled down the Liberian dirt road much too narrow for its size. Each twist, turn, and pothole caused the bus to sway and groan. Almost predictably, the tires landed in a large water-filled rut and refused to come out. The team moaned as the spinning and grinding noise echoed through the air. We were stuck!

Travel and time in Africa work a bit differently than here in the US. As one Liberian friend tells me – Americans have watches, and Africans have time. During international travel, getting stuck is par for the course, but this day we were on the way to the airport. Time mattered, and our evening plans did not account for this inconvenience.

While this dark, rainy night provided temporary concern, thankfully, we did not remain stuck on the roadside for long. Due to our driver, a few other men’s navigation skills, and our team’s fervent prayers, before long, we were back on our way.

I don’t know about you, but I hate being stuck. I’m not too fond of surprise detours, especially those that slow me down. I prefer forward momentum to standing on the sidelines. I enjoy progress and love the feeling of achievement. Despite all that, if you and I were sitting over coffee sharing honestly, I would have to confess that I have often felt stuck over the past few months. Like the sinking feeling I get when tires spin and grind, many days discouragement and despair have settled over me. But I have also been reminded that I have a choice. Like in traveling, I have to decide if I will stay stuck or get out of the vehicle and take steps to get back on track.

You’ve probably noticed that 2020 seems to be offering more than it’s fair share of problems. In addition to the weight of these circumstances, many of our go-to solutions are not available. Isolation and fear are rampant, as are distrust and confusion. Amid the chaos this world offers, God is calling you and me to look up. If we keep our eyes focused on our concerns, before long, we will find ourselves stuck. If we look to the media, the medical community, or even our friends and family to provide security, we will be disappointed. If we wait for things to “get better” before moving forward, we will miss out.

Let me share a word of hope from God’s word. “For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NASB)

When I focus only on what I can see, what is measurable with the human eye or mind, I quickly become overwhelmed. But when I look to God and His glory, I recognize there is something greater. Through these words, God challenged me to place my concerns on His scale. My disappointments and challenges seem heavy until weighed against the “eternal weight of glory.”

God never promised us a problem-free life. Instead, He promises that He is working in and through the problems we face. While I don’t get to choose my circumstances, I decide what I believe about them. Life may shower me with surprises (and not always the good kind), but I determine my response. Though many of my complaints and concerns are valid, I can recognize they are temporary and serve a higher purpose when measured against God’s eternal plan.

Just like getting stuck when traveling down a dirt road during the rainy season in Africa is par for the course, life’s circumstances will attempt to push us to the sidelines from time to time. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Are you feeling stuck today? Don’t give up. Despite what it may seem, what you are facing is temporary. It won’t last forever. But our God, who existed before time, is at work. Look to Him and remember His purpose. Let Him help you get unstuck.