Feeling Stuck in Life? Becoming a "Free-Range Hamster"
Key takeaways
- Feeling stuck often looks like running on a hamster wheel: exhausting yourself trying to fix one person or problem without getting anywhere.
- Romans 12:18 asks us to live at peace "as far as it depends on you"; you may not be the whole problem, and some things aren't yours to fix.
- Getting off the wheel is the first step; leaving the cage of old patterns is possible, even when it feels scary and unfamiliar.
- The first step is the hardest, but it can lead to a freedom you'll never want to give up.
In this article
If you've been feeling stuck in life, running hard and getting nowhere, this picture may feel familiar.
Life in the Cage
We all know the life of a hamster. It stays in a cage, typically in our homes for the entertainment of our children, and we just feed it and clean out the cage when it gets too rank! The hamster spends its days rooting around in the cage, running endlessly on the wheel and eating and drinking whatever we provide. It's a pretty simple life. But, what if the hamster discovered the door to the cage and had the opportunity to leave the cage behind?
Our Life in the Cage
I talk to many people who have lived in the cage most of their lives. They typically find themselves on the hamster wheel, running and running, exhausting themselves without getting anywhere. They think, "If I could just catch/fix this one thing--change my loved one, fix this relationship, figure out why I always think I am the problem--then I could stop chasing and rest for a bit." But here is the real issue; maybe you need to get off the wheel! Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Many believers only hear that we are supposed to be at peace with everyone, but this verse has a qualification..."as far as it depends on you" What if you have done all you can to fix the situation or the relationship? What if you aren't the whole problem? And, it may be possible to get out of the cage all together. To no longer be stuck in the same patterns and ways of thinking and being. You could be a Free-Range Hamster!
The Free-Range Hamster
There is a door out of that cage. But, it has been somewhat comfortable in here because you have lived here so long. Maybe your biggest issue is the fear of leaving the cage because you don't know what that looks like. It's scary out there! However, you have learned some things about yourself now that you are off the wheel. You know what a predator looks/feels like. You know how to take better care of yourself. You know more of who you really are. Yes, it is new and unfamiliar! The first step is the hardest but it will Iikely lead to a freedom you have never known and one you will never give up again. The life of a Free-Range Hamster.