Ruts

Ruts.  Chances are when you hear the word it presents a negative image.  Words that immediately come to mind are:  Old.  Worn.  Bumpy.  Slow.  Certainly these are characteristics of most ruts.  Another characteristic of a rut is fixed.  Simply put, it is hard to get out of a rut.  Especially if they run deep.  Once you are in one it is extremely hard to get out of.

Unfortunately, ruts don’t just apply to well-worn trails.  They apply to lives as well.  Many people, for whatever reason, are in a rut.  In other words, they are in a monotonous routine. Same old thing.  So predictable.  Day after day.  Week after week.  Year after year.  Never really going anywhere.  No excitement.  No change.

What’s even worse is when those ruts are destructive.  Blow up after blow up.  Failed relationship after failed relationship.  Trapped in an addictive pattern.  In and out of jail.  For people like this, they just can’t seem to break the cycle.  They may want to.  But the ruts are too deep.  So the pattern continues.  Usually for the worse.  In my counseling I like to refer to this as ‘ruts of unrighteousness’.  A person in one of these ruts has formed some bad habits.  They keep hanging around the same bad people.  They keep going to the same bad places.  The result is that they keep making the same bad choices.  Over and over.  Talk about despair, this is it.

But not all ruts are bad.  That’s right.  Some ruts can actually be good.  Picture driving down a logging road on a mountain.  The road narrows.  You come to a curve.  There is a sharp drop off just to the side.  It’s wet and rainy.  The road is slippery.  Fortunately, there is a well-worn rut that you can follow.  You get into the rut.  You follow it around the curve.  Being in the rut actually keeps you safe.  It prevents you from slipping off the edge of the road.

In the same way, some ruts can be good in life.  These are what I like to call ‘ruts of righteousness’.  This is the exact opposite of ‘ruts of unrighteousness’.  It’s about forming good habits.  About hanging around good people.  People who build you up.  Who encourage you.  Who add value to your life.  It’s about going to good places.  Places where the fun is clean.  The atmosphere is wholesome.  The temptations are minimal.  The result is that we make good choices.  Over and over.  Talk about success, this is it.

What God wants us to do is to lay down ‘ruts of righteousness’ in our lives.  To form healthy, godly patterns that will serve us well.  Reading our Bible.  Saying our prayers.  Giving thanks.  Going to church.  Being involved in ministry.  Establishing good, quality relationships.  Being selective in our media intake.  Serving others.  If we work real hard at establishing these in our lives, it will be rather difficult for us to deviate from them.  In essence, they become a good rut.  A ‘rut of righteousness’ that comes naturally (or should I say, supernaturally) to us.  These ruts keep us from danger.  We are secure in them.  They ultimately lead us where we want to go which is to God.

To me, the Christian life is ultimately a life of substitution.  When we come to Christ, He enables us to substitute our ‘ruts of unrighteousness’ for ‘ruts of righteousness’.  Getting out of destructive, unholy ruts isn’t easy.  But with God’s power and the determination of our will, we can get out.  And form new ruts.  Godly, righteous ruts that will keep us in the center of God’s will.  These are formed by doing the right thing.  Over and over.  Until it becomes a pattern.  A routine.  Something we do naturally.

On another note, perhaps you know of someone who is trapped in a ‘rut of unrighteousness’.  When the opportunity presents itself you may want to share with them this analogy.  I have found from personal experience that people often learn through word pictures.  This isn’t new with me.  This is how Jesus communicated truth to people.  He used parables.  My prayer is that this simple analogy can be useful both to you as well as to others.

Psalm 23:3 - “You lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake.”

Lord, I pray that You will examine my life.  Reveal any ‘ruts of unrighteousness’ that I may be in.  Help me to have the courage to change them as I rely on Your great power.  Also, thank you for the ‘ruts of righteousness’ that I have.  May You continue to keep me securely in them.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.