Finding a New Groove

When I was a young child, one of my favorite things was my parent’s old record player. I can remember looking through the dusty, old vinyl records. Then, playing and dancing to the “oldie but goodies” for hours.

Occasionally, one of the vinyl records “got stuck.” You know….this is when the record player plays the same 6 notes over and over until the needle is adjusted.

If you think about it, playing the same 6 notes over and over is not a problem that only happens with old records. I’ve been known to “get stuck” in a certain frame of mind. Sometimes I spend countless hours dwelling on the same 6 negative thoughts. The psychologists call this “rumination.” It wastes a lot of time, and it really doesn’t accomplish anything good. It always makes me feel worse.

How can we help ourselves when our psychological record gets stuck? We fix it the same way we handle a vinyl record that gets stuck. You lift the needle out of the rut. But be sure not to move the needle back into the past. Move it forward into the future. Set it down in a new groove, a better groove.

Philippians 4:13-14 reminds us, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Are you trapped in the same kinds of negative thoughts? Ask God to help you get unstuck and listen for a more joyful song. Then… let the dancing begin.

Many Blessings!