Trudging Through the Mud and the Muck of Life

Trudging along in life is more purposeful than we sometimes realize!

Trudging through the mud and the muck—that’s sometimes what life feels like, doesn’t it?!  Wish and pray as you might, certain things just aren’t happening or lining up the way you want them to or as fast as you want them to, and, so you feel stuck, trudging through the mud and the muck.

Now, of course, I’m not talking about literal mud and muck, unless of course you are into mud runs, farming, or other outdoor activities that involve mud and muck.  You definitely can get stuck when trudging in that kind of mud and muck!  No, I’m talking about the times in life when you are on hold, waiting for answers, and having your faith tested.  Will God come through, or won’t He?  Will it be the outcome you hope for or something totally unexpected?

I am currently in a season of trudging along.  My sweet Daddy is dying, and my family can do nothing more for him than sit and wait with him as he lays waiting on God to call him home.  My husband and I are selling our house, and we’re curious with each passing day how long it will take to sell.  I’m very busy with work that I enjoy but trying to squeeze in time for writing every chance I get, and those opportunities are few and far between right now.  I could go on, but you see what I mean—I’m wondering about and waiting on change.

What are you trudging through currently?

You, too, may be in a season of trudging along in the mud and muck.  You’re wondering about and waiting on important parts of your life to hopefully change for the better.  You want to get free from the circumstances that are holding you back, and you want to move on with life.  Isn’t that tiring?!  No matter how hopeful you are, it’s hard to remain hopeful all the time.

Wondering and waiting are not new.  These are major life themes from the cradle to the grave.  And, though we know, as Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, that “there is a time for every event under heaven,” we still can’t help but wonder: when is that time?

Biblical truth that helps us while we trudge along

Solomon, the wise author of Ecclesiastes, knew that wondering and worrying about time and change were unproductive and even depressing.  Similar wisdom is found in many places in the Bible, including:

Isaiah 55:8-9

“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.  ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Matthew 6:27

“And, who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

James 4:13-15

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’”

These truths help me keep my healthy wonder about God’s plan from turning into unhealthy worry about whether or not He can pull off His plan.  He is working all things together for my good (Romans 8:28).  How do I know this?  I’ve seen Him do it time and again throughout mine and other people’s lives.

When I focus on God’s greater purpose for the mud and muck times in life, my outlook changes for the better.  

Will my father pass away?  Yes, soon.  He’ll be much better off, and my family will have enjoyed precious family time as we waited together.

Will we sell our house?  Yes, eventually.  With everything else we have going on right now, I am actually grateful it hasn’t sold yet.

Will I get time to write?  Yes.  In fact, I’m writing this blog aren’t I?!  God has called me to write.  He will give me the time and energy I need to write what He desires for me to write.

Focusing on God and His truths also helps me better appreciate the mud and muck times in life.

These times have great purpose in preparing me for whatever is to come.  In fact, I suppose we could say that the mud and muck slow us down so that we don’t launch too quickly into a future that we’re not yet ready for.

You’ve got your own mud and muck that you’re trudging through, and I know you can do it and will do it!  I hope, too, that the Biblical truths I’ve shared with you here will be an encouragement to you.

Keep trudging along!  Change is coming!

Thanks for reading!

With love,

Shannon

Before you go…

How has trudging through the mud and muck of life challenged you and grown your faith in God?  Share your thoughts below in the comments section.  I’ll do my best to get those posted as quickly as possible.

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Scripture references in this article are from the New American Standard Version and linked to www.Biblegateway.com.

PS: Daddy passed away two days after I originally posted this blog post in the summer of 2017.  I miss him so much and look forward to seeing him again one day!