Just because it is, doesn't mean it should be.

~Lady Sarah Ashley portrayed by Nicole Kidman in the movie "Australia" .

Sometimes I have to remind myself that just because things are so, doesn't mean it has to stay that way. It is so easy to get discouraged and settle for how situations are. When we do that it becomes a vicious circle: we are not happy with ourselves for passively allowing things to be. We then get more discouraged so we become more passive and don't even feel like trying which gets us even more discouraged. We don't have to do that. We don't have to live in that cycle.

For change to happen, a person, government or ideology has to be uncomfortable: the uncomfortableness of being where you are, makes you move. Our two Jack Russells are examples of how this works with their daily "discussion" of finding the best physical spot to lie down. Generally our male, Marley will be all settled in a spot. It is in that exact location that Millie, the female decides she needs to be. In order to make Marley move, Millie will sit in front of Marley and bark continually in his face. He will just turn his head away and pretend she is not there. Unfortunately, Millie can keep it up indefinitely with the result that Marley will eventually leave and she can move into the now unoccupied spot. Marley gets to the point that his litter mate is making life too uncomfortable for him to enjoy his nap so he will leave and find a new location.

Personally, we may not have someone barking in our face, but we may become so uncomfortable with a bad habit, a difficult job, or an unhealthy relationship that we decide to change our current position and have to move figuratively or literally.

Politically, I think we are in the same type of spot. I am concerned that terrible policies are being written and that no one is speaking out against injustice or speaking up for those who do not have a voice. It seems that we (I am in that collective too) are complacent with what is going on in our government. If we are vocal, we are not being heard. Where or how can we speak to be heard over the incessant barking of our leaders? Are we uncomfortable with what is going on politically? Are we ready to "move" in order to be heard or at least to speak up for others?

Spiritually we can be in a wallowing place of inertia. Places where we are just stuck in muck- feeling bad about ourselves and allowing that feeling to draw us under. We tell ourselves that the Creator isn't happy or interested in us. The father of lies likes us to think that way. He wants us to be settled with that "reality". Just because we are in that place doesn't mean that is it is so. God wants us to be out of that place, to move towards Him where He can tell us the truth: He loves each one of us and wants the best for us. He has created you and me for a purpose and with a plan. Somedays I have to begin my way out of this funk by renewing my mind through scripture. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:8: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." The other day I was wallowing in the muck of self-pity and was getting tired of my own barking thoughts. I had convinced myself that I was an outsider to every group in which I am involved and that I had nothing to offer. I had to change my attitude and the only way I could do it was to repeat these verses. I had to tell myself that my mucky thoughts were not true- that God was present in my life, I have purpose and that I did belong to a community of friends.

What about you? Do you find yourself stuck? Uncomfortable? Ready to move? If not, what would it take? Do you live in the reality of what is, is how it will always be? Or do you believe that just because it is, it doesn't mean it should be? How do you go about moving into that reality?