Why do I feel stagnant in life

Despite all the things you have achieved in life, have you ever felt like your life is stagnant and there needs to be more progress in where you are at?

Have you ever felt like, despite doing everything, you still need to be better?

It seems like nothing is happening, and you are just spending the days of your life without any progress.

When you feel stagnant, you wake up daily doing the same routine without feeling satisfied before you sleep.

It is a season when you need more motivation to strive for success.

The feeling of stagnation is normal; it is part of life wherein there would be moments when we feel stuck while everybody around us seems to be moving forward with their lives.

What is not normal is for us to remain stagnant.

What is stagnation

Stagnation occurs when you do not have anything that drives you enough to take sustained steps toward it.

It is another stress factor but different from the tiredness you feel from beginning a new chapter, like getting a new job or having children.

If you have a stressful lifestyle, it will leave you empty, passionless, and without the ability to cope.

Stress is about whatever you say and whatever causes you to be distracted mentally and emotionally. 

Most of the time, we feel insignificant because our stressors are viewed as invalid.

However, the source of your stress does not matter because the effect is the same. You will suffer.

You will be stagnant in negative thinking, and your self-esteem will decrease. You will never feel good enough. 

If you cannot control stagnation, it would threaten not just your health but all aspect of your being that could lead you into severe depression and suicidal thoughts.

Why do I feel stagnant

To cure the problem, we must first identify the causes of our stagnation.

You will only know the next step if you know why you feel stagnant.

Fear

Fear is the number one enemy of the mind to make progress in life. You are hesitant to try something new because you are afraid that you might fail.

Additionally, you are so scared of what people would say if you seek validation from others.

You know something to be accurate and believe in your heart ultimately. But, you want to avoid taking the step to change something in your life. You are afraid to try the risk. 

You want to have a deeper connection with God, but you are afraid that you might lose your job or fail in your projects when you spend time with Him.

Alternatively, you are worried about what others might think of you when you serve Him. 

In Isaiah 41:10, God says do not be afraid because He is with you. Do not be discouraged because He is your God who will help and uphold you in His righteous hand.

Taking the first step is challenging, and the beginning is always the hardest. But the good news is you do not have to take the first step alone. 

God is with you. You just have to acknowledge His presence and power in your life. You are afraid because you think you can control everything but cannot. So pray earnestly and allow God to maneuver your life.

If God is with you, who can be against you? Do not seek validation from people but seek validation from God.

Too Comfortable

Being in your comfort zone will never cause growth and will only make you feel okay. Because of our comfort, we do not want to risk trying something new. 

We want to improve our careers or make our dreams happen but do not want to suffer and sacrifice. That is why we feel stagnant.

We want to experience God’s presence more, but we are not motivated to wake up early and spend time with Him before doing chores at home and working in the office. 

Sometimes, we just want to have a deeper relationship with God but are unwilling to do His will and His command because we are uncomfortable. 

Step out of your comfort zone and see what God offers you. We must understand that obeying God in this world where humans are distracted is uncomfortable. 

If we want to move out of our comfort zone, it takes sacrifices and suffering. We must constantly remind ourselves that our mission is not for perfection but for transformation. 

Change happens outside your comfort zone.

Discouraged

When hurt or discouraged by someone, you will not be confident to move forward.

You allow others’ judgments to eat you and stop you from achieving your goals. Some people will not motivate you to try to change something in your life.

If you allow their criticism that you will never be good enough, you will decide not to change everything about your situation. No one will suffer but you.

Maybe someone has convicted you that made you feel that you are not good enough, and when you do not improve, they would feel more justified. 

However, you are not living for them. The more you allow your discouragement to devour you, the more you will enable them to steal God’s excellent plan for you because you are not moving forward.

People will always have something to say. You cannot please everybody; some will support you, while others might not. 

Paul asked himself in Galatians 1:10 who he was trying to please: man or God. He emphasized that if he sought the approval of human beings, then he would not be a servant of Jesus.

Holds Grudges

You cannot move forward in life if you are stuck with resentment. Some people will hurt and annoy you. It could destroy you if you remain angry.

We cannot move on when we only think of those people that hurt us.

They could sleep at night because they are insensitive or unaware of the pain they have caused you, but as for you, you will not have peace. 

Without the peace of mind, you cannot think properly. Some people could even commit sins out of their anger.

Our resentment could not only make us stagnant but could also harm us.

So, do not allow yourself to stay in your anger.

Yes, it is easier to say than do but remember Jesus Christ, your Lord, and Savior, who has forgiven your sin regardless of how light or heavy it is.

Remember that God is so gracious and compassionate that He sacrifices His Son for you to be forgiven.

To move forward is to forgive and allow God to take control of your pain. You are not forgiving because of them but because you want peace of mind.

Also, because you also wish God to forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14 says that if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Father in Heaven will also forgive you.

God is with you

In this season of stagnation, always remember that God is with you. He will never forsake you nor leave you. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

So do not be afraid or discouraged to step out from where you are. It may not be easy, but remember that you are not alone.

When you trust God with all your heart, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and do not depend on your wisdom, He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

I had an experience of being stagnant in my anger, and I unconsciously destroyed myself.

Back then, I did things that I never could have imagined doing because of this insensitive and manipulative person.

I was not aware that I was already nurturing the anger in me that whenever the person was around, I was becoming out of control.

Additionally, I caused myself to sin against God.  When I surrendered my pain to God, it gave me peace and allowed me to move forward in life.