In many people’s lives, there will most likely come a time when you will feel stuck, isolated, and like you’re being held down. You are moving, but you feel like your life is on hold. This feeling of being stuck is what I like to call stagnation: your body moves, but your heart, mind, and soul don’t. In this state, you feel lonely, whether you’re surrounded by people or not. This kind of isolation from stagnation is probably one of the most dangerous things both Christians and Non-Christians can face. However, it’s important to know that you are not alone; there are people and ways that can help you, and I’m here to show you how.
This stagnation can stem from many things, whether it’s the loss of an important relationship, loneliness, or as simple as a few bad days. One person who experienced this was David. He experienced much success at this time; he was near the peak of his kingdom, given to him by God, but he felt alone, leading him to neglect his duties and pray. This state of stagnation led David to do wrong things out of confusion. He lusted over a married woman and sent her husband to the front lines of war, ultimately killing him. This all sprouted from his confusion from stagnation and a kind of apathy for not praying or studying God’s word.
This darkness in our lives is not helpless, though. It can be helped with the influence of friends and family, but the true way to solve this is with God.
Here are a few ways that you can get help for these feelings:
- Force yourself to do things you don’t want to: reading scripture, going to church, or just doing something healthy, like taking a jog, are all good ways to clear your mind and fill it with good. This is the boundary for many people when solving this issue.
- Search for help: I know this is simple, but many people neglect how essential it is, and often search for help when they are already deep into something bad.
- Serve others intentionally: Doing good for others can be an amazing moral boost and give you a reason for doing what you do.
- Change your routine: This can be anything from changing your major or your lifestyle to switching the genre of music you listen to. You can start off with small, but powerful things, like giving up fast food or fixing your sleep schedule. From there, you can start changing bigger things that are preventing you from having a clear mind
- Be in a proper community: Whether we realize it or not, who we surround ourselves with changes our lifestyles, thoughts, and actions detrimentally. Being in community is always a good way to gain clarity or comfort, but sometimes people seek comfort in the wrong community, which often leads them down a darker path.
Everyone goes through something in their life, big or small. Sometimes, all it takes to get someone out of a dark place is doing something kind for them or just checking in to show that someone actually cares. When all we can see is darkness, it’s hard to see the light of God’s love that is always there.
