STUCK.

I often feel this way. I'm an active person. I like to be "on the go." To be productive. Even my "days off," are really not so. It can be a blessing... it can be a curse. This very blog post is a result of my inability to stop my "turning wheels" last night (as I was in bed). I'm even "running" when I'm lying down! So of course, I grabbed my iPhone and typed it all as it came racing through my mind.

I think one reason for my chronic busyness, or longing to be so, is my fear of staying in any one place for great durations of time. After all, if in one place for too long, you may just get...

Stuck.

This is one of my greatest and deepest fears.

But one of my dearest friends so often wisely states, "Fear is 'False Evidence Appearing Real.'" It's as if I think that every place in which I stand for too long will turn to quick sand. A nearly inescapable trap of sorts.

But maybe being "stuck" isn't all that bad. And here's why:

What if the moments in which we feel "stuck," are the very moments in which we are actually moving... and growing, the most?

Times of standstill cause us to reevaluate and reexamine our priorities. Our outlooks on true growth. And most importantly, our perspectives on true movement. If you're like me, in this period of immobilization you find yourself feeling as though you have been placed in "time out."

After 22 years of being the recipient of numerous "2x4s" to the face, I'm finally realizing that the most important movement is my movement towards Christ. And sometimes, I'm finding, that movement requires a halt.

A big halt.

Ironic, isn't it?

Because how in the world can our focus move upward when we are so focused on moving forward? I am not all-powerful nor am I all-present. Although my God can be everywhere at every single second, I most definitely cannot be. So if I'm running a million miles a minute trying to plan the next 10 years of my life, more than likely, I am not giving my utmost focus to the Ultimate Planner.

And that's where the brick wall comes into play. See, no man has the ability to see the entire scope, or landscape, of his or her life. Oh, how I so wish that were so. (For the record, if I could have any superhero power, that would be mine.) Then, I wouldn't have to make a t-shirt that says, "Don't ask. I have no idea what I'm doing after I graduate college... in 33 days."

It's been 2 years since my "big halt." Trust me, it's felt much longer than that at times. Feeling "behind" in multiple areas of my life has been the theme for me, for quite some time. But maybe all it takes is a shift in my perspective...

From stuck, to transition.

A transition of heart. A transition of focus. A transition of mindset.

You see, slowing down allows the chaos to unwind. It gives our feeble minds a chance to begin to see the next step. Because as we focus on growing towards Christ rather than moving towards our next plan, our hearts beat with His as He directs each and every step.

It is much easier to journey with someone Who sees the entire horizon... and beyond.

So be encouraged, friends. When you're "stuck," it is simply a season...

Because there is indeed a light at the end of every tunnel... however long it may be.