2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV:  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

A professor I studied under was fond of saying, "Stay in a rut long enough, and it will become your grave." Indeed it can. Many concerns can keep us in a rut: a time of loss, a lack of fulfillment, emptiness, pain, bad choices, etc. Yet, the wonder of Christ abounds in all things. In darkness, He is light. In weakness, He is strength. In a rut, He is our peace. We sometimes forget how truly powerful He is. Our troubles have no power over Him, and our life situations are not beyond His reach. "Take my yoke upon you," Jesus tells us, "and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:29). In Hebrews, the writer encourages, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (12:1-3). In the light of Christ, pain loses its power, our worries fade, and we can discover His true and lasting abundance,even while living in a rut.