How Do I Get Unstuck And Move Forward With Purpose?
How Do I Get Unstuck And Move Forward With Purpose?
How Do I Get Unstuck And Move Forward With Purpose?
How Do I Get Unstuck And Move Forward With Purpose?
We all know the feeling of being paralyzed and not knowing how to move forward. Sometimes we find ourselves stuck at work, in relationships, and countless other scenarios. Thankfully, Jesus gives us three steps to take every time we feel paralyzed or stuck at work.
Audio Transcript
Some of us know the deepest truths of life and others of us don’t, but we all know the feeling of being paralyzed and not knowing how to move forward with purpose.
Sometimes we find ourselves stuck at work, in relationships, and countless other scenarios, and we feel unable to move forward.
This brings us to our question for today: In moments when we are paralyzed or stuck, how do we move forward? How do we get unstuck?
You’re Not Alone
First we must know we are not alone. Everyone, whether they admit it or not, has felt paralyzed or stuck in their life at some point.
In fact, the entire Bible was written to people like you and me who get stuck — who fall and can’t get up. The entire counsel of God answers this question about getting stuck and gives us hope. Hope in a savior — Jesus Christ — who lived, died, and rose for us.
Not only was the Bible written for people who are stuck, the Bible itself was written by people who were, at times, stuck. In the New Testament, the closest followers of Jesus often found themselves stuck. Even Jesus’ best friends! They knew the truth, but they still got stuck all the time. His followers got stuck even after they witnessed the greatest miracle in history — the resurrection. They deserted Jesus, denied Him, and deflected the truth; the disciples were stuck.
In John 20, when Jesus rose from the grave and came to talk with them, the disciples were sheltering in place. They had reason to be scared. Some believed Jesus had risen and others did not, but regardless of what they believed, they were all stuck in fear. Their leader was just executed and they knew it was likely they would be executed as well. The disciples had real enemies. In this moment, they were more scared than we are, or were, of crime, a virus, or what to do next at work.
In the midst of their great fears, Jesus choose this moment to re-enter their lives and move into their fears. This applies to us at work. One day, things are clicking and everything is going great, but one day later we can get stuck. Often, like the disciples, Jesus chooses to re-enter our own lives in the midst of these fears and worries at work that make us feel paralyzed or stuck.
3 Steps For Getting Unstuck
And, in these verses in John 20, Jesus gives us three steps for getting unstuck when we find ourselves paralyzed.
Frequently, the devil works through vagueness and ambiguity. He causes us to believe something vague, which then causes us to deny the truth. What has you stuck might be clear or it might be vague, but these steps help people get unstuck, regardless of whether or not they are able to name what is keeping them down.
Here is what Jesus does in John 20.
He enters through a locked door — He’s resurrected — and here’s what he doesn’t say. He doesn’t say to His disciples, “You bunch of goofballs! Y’all deserted me! You denied the truth. We were best friends and you didn’t show up.”
Rather, he immediately tells them, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” - John 20:21-22
There are three things here. First, he says, “Peace be with you.” Jesus gives us peace. Then, in the next sentence, Jesus recomissions them. He says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Lastly, He breathes on them and gives them the Holy Spirit.
There are three themes in these verses — peace, purpose, and power. These three themes are present throughout the Bible, but they are particularly present in these verses.
Step 1: Peace
From the very beginning, Christianity has been about peace. When Jesus was born and the shepherds were watching over their flocks by night, the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). Peace is the first thing Jesus came to accomplish for us and give to us.
However, the way Jesus gave people peace was not the way they hoped or expected. They wanted Jesus to establish a new political empire and overthrow the oppressive government they lived under. The Roman government was much worse than many of the most oppressive governments that exist today; so it is easy to understand why they would want their government to be overthrown. However, Jesus did something much greater than overthrow the Roman government. Jesus lived and died so that stuck and paralyzed people like you and me can experience the peace of God.
This peace of God through the power of the cross is experienced through oneness with God. On the night before the crucifixion, Jesus sweated blood as He prayed that we would be one with Him and the Father. This oneness with God has profoundly practical effects. For example, Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
We get anxious and stuck, and in these verses Paul tells us to recount our blessings with thanksgiving and remember the miraculous events God used to bring you to where you are today. You didn’t do it on your own, and you have to recognize and remember the person — your creator and redeemer — who directed everything in your life to get you where you are today.
Step 2: Purpose
Once you know you have peace, there is no self-centered thinking. When we start focusing on ourselves, our peace is diminished. If you have peace and you are only using that peace to help yourself and your family, you are off. Jesus tells us to go out into a world full of risk and advance His kingdom in word and deed by making disciples.
God gives us great purpose, and our purpose is not to build our own kingdoms. Our purpose is loving God by loving others. When Jesus enters our lives, we go from fishing for ourselves to becoming fishers of men.
In the great commission, Jesus tells us we have all power and authority to make disciples, and in the version in Acts, the disciples are all caught up in what this means for them. They ask him about what will happen to them. In response, Jesus tells them to not worry about that, trust in Him, and go make disciples.
The crime in our city and our response to it is a direct application of what Jesus is encountering with the pushback from His disciples in the book of Acts. Many of us are scared for ourselves, but Jesus calls His followers to boldly — and wisely — enter into tough situations to make His name known by people who are lost. We all can go encourage a police officer, read to and mentor a fatherless child, and serve at a homeless shelter. These are just a few examples, but God is calling us to action.
You are sent to serve others. So take a pause when you are at work and think about the people in your office who need a new identity, who are lost and do not have hope. Get to know them, care for them, and talk to them about the person who called you out of sin and darkness to a life of true meaning and eternal hope.
Take your focus off yourself and focus on the people in your workplace — go, care and love for the people you work with!
Step 3: Power
But, if we help our coworkers and let them interrupt our work, this might cost us some commission or cause us to stay late at work. So, we wonder if it’s really worth it, and the answer is that it’s definitely worth it. We have to be willing to be interrupted by others.
To be able to do this, we cannot only depend on ourselves; so God gives us the Holy Spirit to be with us always. Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit dwells within you; so access Him! Talk to God, pray to Him. He is there with you and for you 24/7.
When you have peace, when you know you are sent, and you know you have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, you have what you need to get unstuck. God is with you; so the next time you find yourself feeling paralyzed, remember with thanksgiving the mighty works of God that brought you to where you are today, find peace in His presence, focus on blessing others, and depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit to move forward in whatever situation you are in.
Resources
Tim Keller, Resurrection Gifts
John 20:21-22
Luke 2:14
Philippians 4:6-7
Audio Transcript
Some of us know the deepest truths of life and others of us don’t, but we all know the feeling of being paralyzed and not knowing how to move forward with purpose.
Sometimes we find ourselves stuck at work, in relationships, and countless other scenarios, and we feel unable to move forward.
This brings us to our question for today: In moments when we are paralyzed or stuck, how do we move forward? How do we get unstuck?
You’re Not Alone
First we must know we are not alone. Everyone, whether they admit it or not, has felt paralyzed or stuck in their life at some point.
In fact, the entire Bible was written to people like you and me who get stuck — who fall and can’t get up. The entire counsel of God answers this question about getting stuck and gives us hope. Hope in a savior — Jesus Christ — who lived, died, and rose for us.
Not only was the Bible written for people who are stuck, the Bible itself was written by people who were, at times, stuck. In the New Testament, the closest followers of Jesus often found themselves stuck. Even Jesus’ best friends! They knew the truth, but they still got stuck all the time. His followers got stuck even after they witnessed the greatest miracle in history — the resurrection. They deserted Jesus, denied Him, and deflected the truth; the disciples were stuck.
In John 20, when Jesus rose from the grave and came to talk with them, the disciples were sheltering in place. They had reason to be scared. Some believed Jesus had risen and others did not, but regardless of what they believed, they were all stuck in fear. Their leader was just executed and they knew it was likely they would be executed as well. The disciples had real enemies. In this moment, they were more scared than we are, or were, of crime, a virus, or what to do next at work.
In the midst of their great fears, Jesus choose this moment to re-enter their lives and move into their fears. This applies to us at work. One day, things are clicking and everything is going great, but one day later we can get stuck. Often, like the disciples, Jesus chooses to re-enter our own lives in the midst of these fears and worries at work that make us feel paralyzed or stuck.
3 Steps For Getting Unstuck
And, in these verses in John 20, Jesus gives us three steps for getting unstuck when we find ourselves paralyzed.
Frequently, the devil works through vagueness and ambiguity. He causes us to believe something vague, which then causes us to deny the truth. What has you stuck might be clear or it might be vague, but these steps help people get unstuck, regardless of whether or not they are able to name what is keeping them down.
Here is what Jesus does in John 20.
He enters through a locked door — He’s resurrected — and here’s what he doesn’t say. He doesn’t say to His disciples, “You bunch of goofballs! Y’all deserted me! You denied the truth. We were best friends and you didn’t show up.”
Rather, he immediately tells them, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” - John 20:21-22
There are three things here. First, he says, “Peace be with you.” Jesus gives us peace. Then, in the next sentence, Jesus recomissions them. He says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Lastly, He breathes on them and gives them the Holy Spirit.
There are three themes in these verses — peace, purpose, and power. These three themes are present throughout the Bible, but they are particularly present in these verses.
Step 1: Peace
From the very beginning, Christianity has been about peace. When Jesus was born and the shepherds were watching over their flocks by night, the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). Peace is the first thing Jesus came to accomplish for us and give to us.
However, the way Jesus gave people peace was not the way they hoped or expected. They wanted Jesus to establish a new political empire and overthrow the oppressive government they lived under. The Roman government was much worse than many of the most oppressive governments that exist today; so it is easy to understand why they would want their government to be overthrown. However, Jesus did something much greater than overthrow the Roman government. Jesus lived and died so that stuck and paralyzed people like you and me can experience the peace of God.
This peace of God through the power of the cross is experienced through oneness with God. On the night before the crucifixion, Jesus sweated blood as He prayed that we would be one with Him and the Father. This oneness with God has profoundly practical effects. For example, Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
We get anxious and stuck, and in these verses Paul tells us to recount our blessings with thanksgiving and remember the miraculous events God used to bring you to where you are today. You didn’t do it on your own, and you have to recognize and remember the person — your creator and redeemer — who directed everything in your life to get you where you are today.
Step 2: Purpose
Once you know you have peace, there is no self-centered thinking. When we start focusing on ourselves, our peace is diminished. If you have peace and you are only using that peace to help yourself and your family, you are off. Jesus tells us to go out into a world full of risk and advance His kingdom in word and deed by making disciples.
God gives us great purpose, and our purpose is not to build our own kingdoms. Our purpose is loving God by loving others. When Jesus enters our lives, we go from fishing for ourselves to becoming fishers of men.
In the great commission, Jesus tells us we have all power and authority to make disciples, and in the version in Acts, the disciples are all caught up in what this means for them. They ask him about what will happen to them. In response, Jesus tells them to not worry about that, trust in Him, and go make disciples.
The crime in our city and our response to it is a direct application of what Jesus is encountering with the pushback from His disciples in the book of Acts. Many of us are scared for ourselves, but Jesus calls His followers to boldly — and wisely — enter into tough situations to make His name known by people who are lost. We all can go encourage a police officer, read to and mentor a fatherless child, and serve at a homeless shelter. These are just a few examples, but God is calling us to action.
You are sent to serve others. So take a pause when you are at work and think about the people in your office who need a new identity, who are lost and do not have hope. Get to know them, care for them, and talk to them about the person who called you out of sin and darkness to a life of true meaning and eternal hope.
Take your focus off yourself and focus on the people in your workplace — go, care and love for the people you work with!
Step 3: Power
But, if we help our coworkers and let them interrupt our work, this might cost us some commission or cause us to stay late at work. So, we wonder if it’s really worth it, and the answer is that it’s definitely worth it. We have to be willing to be interrupted by others.
To be able to do this, we cannot only depend on ourselves; so God gives us the Holy Spirit to be with us always. Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit dwells within you; so access Him! Talk to God, pray to Him. He is there with you and for you 24/7.
When you have peace, when you know you are sent, and you know you have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, you have what you need to get unstuck. God is with you; so the next time you find yourself feeling paralyzed, remember with thanksgiving the mighty works of God that brought you to where you are today, find peace in His presence, focus on blessing others, and depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit to move forward in whatever situation you are in.
Resources
Tim Keller, Resurrection Gifts
John 20:21-22
Luke 2:14
Philippians 4:6-7