If you are emotionally and spiritually stuck, it is time to get unstuck and out of a rut. Getting unstuck is all about timing. Trusting in God’s timing is everything. Getting unstuck is a process … but also possible.
The Lord gave me a vision of a clock. Imagine you are looking at 12 o’clock. This is the time to remember. The first thing you need to do is remember the Lord, remember His Word. Declare now, “I will remember!”
God gives us wisdom in His Word for getting out of ruts. However, before looking at these words of wisdom, we must get honest before the Lord and ask His Spirit to give us fresh perspectives as to the root cause of our ruts.
What Are the Roots of the Ruts?
Situations and circumstances cause unforgiveness to rise up. Suppose you understand how the enemy uses events to steer you off course. In that case, you are more likely to spot his schemes early (getting you to come into agreement with an unforgiving lie). You can start making declarations and proclamations that will choke out any seeds of bitterness and resentment so that they will not flourish in the garden of your heart.
Bitterness
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb. 12:14-15, NKJV).
Bitterness causes weeds to spring up in your soul. Those weeds can manifest as resentment, jealousy and blame. Bitterness only causes trouble. The Bible says that the result is many “become defiled.”
The word “defiled” in Hebrew means “polluted or contaminated.” In other words, your heart is troubled because something in it wasn’t intended to be there.
Anger
“Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. ‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:25-27).
The enemy uses anger to steal your joy. When you are emotionally and spiritually stuck, there is a lack of joy in the Lord. Anger focuses on all that is wrong, not the joy and abundant life you have through Yeshua.
God wants you to focus on what you have, how you are blessed, and what He has done. This reflects the spirit of sonship. The opposite—which is in rebellion to the spirit of sonship—is an orphan spirit. This does not align with who God says you are in Yeshua.
Now That You Know the Root Causes
Do either of these causes resonate with you? Maybe these two seeds were planted in your heart because of the wrong someone did to you or what you did to another. It is time to use the two-edged sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—to clear out the roots. It is time to forgive others and yourself and move forward.
Here are three ways to cut out the roots, get out of the rut and get unstuck:
- Remember. All of Psalm 103 is powerful to help you remember the goodness of the Lord. Focus on a few verses at a time. Write them down. Meditate on them. Tell your soul to get into alignment with God, and ask the Spirit to remind you of all His good ways!
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:1-5).
- Repent. In order for you to move forward and get out of a spiritual and emotional rut, there has to be a clearing away of the roots that God didn’t put in your heart. If there is any unforgiveness, bitterness or anger in your heart, the Spirit of God can be like floodwaters rushing through the crevasses of your soul, clearing those away. Ask Him for fresh water to flow through you now. Pray Psalm 51 and surrender your broken spirit to Him. He is in the business of restoring!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. … For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise” (Ps. 51:10-11, 16-17).
- Return to the Joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is your strength, shield and abundance. When you forget not all of His benefits, repent and lay down your broken and contrite heart, and return to the joy of the Lord where restoration begins, you move out of the rut and into the path of life.
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:9-11).
Summing Up
Situations and circumstances happen and cause pain in some way. Unforgiveness arises, and seeds of bitterness and anger fall from it and into the heart. This puts you in a spiritual and emotional rut. You feel stuck and unable to move forward.
But God has only good plans for you. So, to move forward, the Spirit of God must come and divide bone from marrow in your soul. By the two-edged sword, He will cut out the bitterness and anger and send fresh water to clean your heart.
To position you to move forward …
First, forget not all the benefits of the Lord. He redeems and heals you. Reflect on Psalm 103.
Second, repent. Surrender the situation and unforgiveness in your heart to the Lord. Reflect on Psalm 51.
Third, return to the joy of the Lord. He wants to fill you full and show you the path of life. Reflect on Psalm 16. {eoa}
Curt Landry, founder of Curt Landry Ministries, and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, preaching and teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Together, their passion is to empower families to live and leave kingdom legacies and understand their own personal heritage.
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Michael L. Brown 
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