Ruts ... Revisited

I first posted "Ruts" in August of 2013.  Sometimes it's good to reflect on where we've been - not to worry or dwell on the past - just to reflect; after all, my own self is my only real competitor.  I only need to be better than I was yesterday!

There we were, the four of us, seated around a small contemporary table, in a bustling room filled with professionals, housewives, college kids, and our sales rep, Yazmin.

She really was quite the sales person.  In our two hours at the store, she pulled out all the stops to sell us the most, the latest, and the greatest equipment.  One such device was an iPad, which I had been “needing” because of its cool music apps & recording capabilities.

After much debate with myself, I heard these words come out of my mouth, “If I go ahead and get it, I won’t have any excuse to not spend time in the music room working on my music.”  Ah, the truth.  Sometimes it just flies right out before we realize, doesn’t it?

And isn’t that just the way it is?  Often we are more afraid of success than of failure.  We may be in a rut, but at least we KNOW the rut, and it’s more comfortable than the unknown.  The rut doesn’t require any hard work, any education, or any risk.  But the rut also holds no glory, no promise.

In whatever rut you find yourself, be encouraged.  Get up and get out!

Fast forward now to April 2016.  Have I really gained any ground musically?  Have I studied the art of worship?  Have I practiced to improve my abilities?  Or do I still struggle to get out of my own ruts?  Sad to say, I know what I need to do, and I have great intentions, but too often follow-through is non-existent.

To be transparent, a big part of MY problem is overloading my plate.  I know what I CAN do, and I love to be a help, a hero, the one with the answer, so I take on more than I should - more than I can put my best efforts into.  And it bites me in the rear!

So here's what I've learned to do.  DON'T JUMP IN to new endeavors ... Think about it, discuss it with a trusted friend, pray about it, then repeat!!

When we identify the problem, we are more than halfway to finding the answer!

What about you?  Are you accomplishing the dream that God's put in your heart?  If not, why not?  Do you overload?  Do you sabotage your own success?  Do you struggle with prioritizing?  Or is it something else?

I'd love to read your comments on this; I'd love to know how you're dealing with your setbacks, how you stay motivated.  What are your tactics for setting goals and priorities, and how do you readjust when things don't go as planned?

Thank you for reading, and for sharing! 


Peace,


Davina