We have a new house and a new driveway. Our driveway is steep and it's made of gravel. We have been in the house for 8 months now. About two months ago, I noticed ruts forming in our driveway. For awhile, I noticed the ruts — ironically, I did this every time I drove in them. Finally, I started driving beside the ruts to wear out the driveway a little more evenly. Every once and a while, when I don't think, guess what happens? I drive in the ruts! It is so easy to do the same old thing that I'm accustomed to doing without thinking about it.

Sometimes, we get into ruts with our lives. We do the same old things over and over. We become creatures of habit. Breaking out of our routines can be fun and refreshing. So why not try something new for a change. Go out to eat at a different place. Do something different for recreation. Go to a different place on vacation.

We can get in to a rut in our churches too if we aren't careful. The Bible talks about doing "new things" (Isaiah 43:19) and singing "new songs" (Psalm 149:1). A few weeks ago, I felt like the Lord was leading me to do something I'd never done before in one of our services. Right in the middle of the service, I asked for volunteers to go out visiting. We had 8 volunteers that went out and brought back great reports of their visits. I have heard of other churches doing things that they "had never done before." Be open to God's leading in your church. He may give you some fresh new ideas that open up whole new opportunities for ministry.

Watch out for those ruts!
Our personal walk with the Lord can get in to a rut, too. The Lord is so wonderfully creative. Pray and see if He might be showing you something new to do, for Him or with Him. Pray in a different place or in a different way. Read a new Christian book. Start a Bible study with a friend or family member. The Lord may show you a new ministry, so try different opportunities that the Lord makes available to you.

And ... watch out for those ruts! We have a tendency to just do the same things over and over. That's fine if the Lord is leading us that way. However, pray, watch and listen, in case He wants to show you something "new." God's steadfast love is providing us new mercies, and new opportunities, every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).