Do you have a routine, or are you in a rut?  The discipline of a routine is good, but if we are not careful we can find our selves in a rut.

I’m sure we’ve all found ourselves in a rut.  We are doing the same things we have always done, but rather than showing improvement or making any headway, we are just spinning our wheels, stuck, mired down in the same-old-same-old.  Running the same route week after week, but not getting any faster.  Swimming the same laps, doing the same bike workout, but not seeming to show any improvement in our performance.  When we get in a rut our performance plateaus or can even diminish despite our continued work.  Even though we are working out we have ceased to provide positive stress to our physiologic systems.  Without appropriate stress and recovery nothing gets better, we just stay where we are, or even slide down hill a bit.  That’s why it is good to change up the workout from time to time.  Do something new or different.  Do it faster, harder, longer or in a way that stresses your system in a different way.  Then your body will adapt to this new stress with stronger, faster, or more efficient responses.

Having a routine is not the same as being in a rut.  To have a morning routine that gets us up and going can be helpful, especially on those cold winter mornings when we don’t want to get out.  Having a routine of planned workouts gives us structure to our training, the secret is to not do just the same workout.  It can be a running day, but do a quality run.  Don’t just run, do hill intervals.  Don’t just bike, but work on position and cadence.  Don’t just swim laps but work on a specific part of your stroke.  Whatever it is you are doing pick something special to do with that session.  The old adage is “no junk miles”.  Make each workout have a specific goal for our performance.

The same can hold for us in our discipleship life.  Are you just reading the Word to be reading?  Is it just get through the book of John this month?  Have you ceased to feel that the Word is speaking directly to you?  Then change it up.  Do a word study with a good lexicon or commentary.  Decide to memorize a new verse this week.  Make yourself check out all the cross references.  What about your prayer life?  Make a specific prayer list.  Pray the Psalms. You don’t necessarily have to change the routine and cause a major disruption to your daily schedule, but you may need to change up what you do during your devotional time.  Don’t be afraid to try new things or different methods.

Part of discipleship is meant for learning new things, not just doing the same thing over day after day.  Jesus didn’t heal everyone in the same old way.  Sometimes it was a word, sometimes a touch, even spitting in the dust to make a mud compress.  The point is, Jesus didn’t do things in the same old way every time.  There’s nothing wrong with doing something different, as long as it continues to be Spirit-led and appropriate.

So get out of your rut, do something different, stress some new muscles, both physically and spiritually!