When You Feel Stuck
When you feel stuck, you don’t need a miracle first—you need movement.
A few years back, my girls and I went with extended family down to southern Utah chasing a popular destination with waterfalls and pools to swim in. We thought it would be an easy drive.
It wasn’t.
The road was rough. The trip took far longer than expected. And then we realized my brother-in-law was low on gas—something he’s famously talented at. His kids overheard the worry, and one little five-year-old boy started crying uncontrollably. I went over to comfort him.
He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face, and pleaded like his life depended on it:
“Josh… could we please borrow some of your gas!!”
It was a funny moment—but it captured something true.
When you feel stuck, it can feel like you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere.
How to get unstuck
When a car breaks down or gets stuck, there are a few things we do—things that apply to life too.
First, check the battery. Sometimes what you need is a jumpstart: a reset, rest, time away from the routine, a new project, a new hobby—something that breathes life back into you.
Second, when it’s beyond what you can do alone, you call for help. This is where people get stuck the longest: they isolate. But there are resources—family, friends, community, mentors, counselors. There is no shame in needing help. Getting unstuck often requires outside strength.
Third, when you can’t fix it all at once, you start walking. Movement matters. Even small steps matter.
Sometimes the load gives traction
A leader once shared a story about a man who wanted a truck. Eventually he got one and took it up into the mountains to cut firewood. He got stuck in the snow. All four wheels spun hopelessly. After struggling, he decided to cut the wood anyway and loaded the truck bed. Then he tried again—and this time, the truck moved. The load gave him traction.
That story teaches something profound: sometimes the “load” we’re carrying—challenges, burdens, hard seasons—can become the very thing that gives us traction to move forward.
The difference is perspective.
“What can I learn from this?”
“How can this help me grow?”
Those questions move us forward far more than, “Why is this happening to me?”
Scripture and faith tie-in
Christ said:
“Take my yoke upon you… and ye shall find rest… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Life isn’t always easy. But when we’re yoked to Christ, we’re not pulling alone. Our burdens become shared.
I remember one night on my mission—cold, wet, exhausted—wondering why I was doing it. And then a simple answer came into my mind: “You are doing this for Me.” And in that moment, I felt a surge of warmth and energy and joy. The burden became light—not because the hills disappeared, but because I felt the Savior pulling with me.
Practical reflection
Being stuck is common. Staying stuck isn’t necessary.
Sometimes you need a jumpstart.
Sometimes you need help.
Sometimes you need to walk.
And sometimes the load you’re carrying is the very thing that will lead you back to God—and back to traction.
Anchoring quote
“When our burden becomes His burden… movement becomes possible again.”
Today’s Daily Challenge
If you feel stuck, do one of these today:
Take a jumpstart step (rest, reset, change environment)
Ask one person for help (text, call, schedule)
Take one small forward action (10 minutes counts)
Give your burden to God in prayer—specifically and honestly
Then write: “Today, I moved.”
Closing gratitude + links
I’m grateful God doesn’t just watch us struggle—He strengthens us, walks with us, and helps us get back on the road.
joshdowns.com/daily-devotionals
joshdowns.com/come-follow-me-for-teens
