Can’t Go On Living This Way

Do you find yourself thinking, “I can’t go on living this way”?  Do you feel sometimes like you’re living out the lyrics of an old country song?

If you really mean it – that you can’t go on doing the same thing day after day because it’s getting you nowhere – then you stand at an important crossroads.  And you are not alone.  Many people are now wondering how long they can keep putting one foot in front of the other in the same old way.

One of the semi-humorous, semi-painful definitions of neurosis is to keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.  So here are some other familiar country lyrics: “It ain’t gonna happen.”  It may be time to consider something scary – change.

This is both a time of change, and a time to change.  It can be an exciting time.  Change and excitement can take you outside of your comfort zone, out of the secure life you’ve known.  You may be suffering, struggling, and fighting for survival, but you’ve still got to see this experience as an opportunity for change.

The kind of change you need to make may have been coming for a long time.  Whether your problem is a floundering job or career, a troubled relationship, difficulty functioning day to day, or something basic like the way you pay your bills, or your choice of activities or recreation, it’s time to do things differently.

I’ve mentioned “the blessing of urgency” before.  It’s a phrase I use to describe the experience of having your back to the wall knowing you absolutely must act.  The blessing comes when you don’t allow yourself to feel trapped, but instead you get going, get creative and look for new opportunities.

Look for new things you want to try, things you’ve always thought about doing.  Maybe you got caught up in a lifestyle of seeking security or financial advantage.  Forget it now.  It’s time to pursue the things you’ve wondered about and dreamed of.  They may lead you into a new career, a new way of life.  You may learn a new way to overcome some of the obstacles you’re facing and the burdens you’re carrying.  Whatever ideas you come up with, think about them, embrace them, work with them, act on them.

Here’s a key ingredient – energy.  You’ll need energy to take on this new front, to really get in there and battle it out to make progress.  Search within yourself; find your energy and strength.  This is not a time for defeat or discouragement.  As I’ve said so many times, take it one day at a time, one hour at a time, maybe one challenge at a time.  But be sure to go into action.

I believe another key ingredient is faith.  Ultimately, it’s important to have faith and trust – and I don’t mean only in yourself.  I have faith in God; call your higher power whatever you like.  For me, there is a God who has the power and control and he’s already working things out.  I just can’t see it yet.  When I start feeling lost or discouraged, I make every effort to get back to the understanding that God is at work.  I want to get back to feeling his loving, spiritual, godly embrace.

That’s where I go when the changes I’m making get scary.  That’s where I go when my back is to the wall and I have trouble remembering that stepping out is truly an opportunity to fulfill my hopes and dreams.  That’s where I’m encouraging you to go, too.

Change and opportunity: energy and faith.  Go for it.