Out of the Rut: Why “Tomorrow” Is Too Late
I’ve felt it in my own heart lately—something that maybe you’ve been feeling too. What used to be just a whisper of frustration has turned into a full-blown weight as the world keeps getting louder, more violent, and more divided. And honestly? It’s so tempting to believe the problem is them.
You know who I’m talking about… the people who vote differently, think differently, celebrate differently, or post differently. Maybe for you it’s the neighbor who corners you at the mailbox with political rants. Maybe it’s the co-worker who parrots the talking points you can’t stand. Or maybe it’s that relative who always seems ready to spark an argument around the dinner table.
And if we’re not careful, we can so easily fall into the trap of believing the lie that they are the real enemy. But thankfully, Scripture pulls us back to reality and anchors us in truth: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12). The battle isn’t with people—it’s spiritual.
And here’s the thing: the enemy doesn’t always use obvious weapons. His favorite strategy isn’t always scandal or immorality—it’s misdirection. If he can keep us pouring out our energy on the wrong battles, he doesn’t even have to fight us at the right ones. If he can get us frustrated with people instead of fighting the real fight, then he’s already won half the battle.
The result? We burn ourselves out swinging at shadows, we lose heart, and we quietly wonder why it feels like nothing ever changes.
But here’s the hope: God doesn’t leave us spinning our wheels. His Word shows us how to step off the merry-go-round of frustration and fear and step into a boldness that actually changes things.
Shaken Into Boldness
So if people aren’t the enemy, what do we do with all the pressure, hostility, and chaos around us? The early church had to wrestle with that same question. They lived in a world that was far more hostile than most of us will ever face. Followers of Jesus were threatened, beaten, and even killed simply for their faith.
And when the pressure mounted, do you know what they did? They didn’t fight. They didn’t pick up swords. They didn’t organize marches or picket in the streets. They prayed. Together.
But what did they pray for? That God would remove their oppressors? That He would make a way for them to escape the chaos? No. They prayed for God to give them boldness.
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” (Acts 4:29)
That’s an incredible prayer. They weren’t asking for easier circumstances; they were asking for stronger faith. And God responded. Scripture says the very place they were meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly (Acts 4:31).
The enemy tries his best—and honestly, many times successfully—to shake us into fear. But God redeems those very moments. Instead of being shaken into fear, He shakes us into boldness! Ordinary people become bold people when they choose prayer over panic and faith over fear.
When Hearing Isn’t Enough
Now, here’s where it gets real. It’s one thing to hear God’s Word, but it’s another thing entirely to actually live it out. James puts it bluntly: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22).
Think about that for a second—James is saying that if we hear the Word and don’t act on it, we’re actually deceiving ourselves. That’s heavy. It means I can show up on Sunday, nod along, maybe even feel stirred in the moment… but if nothing changes on Monday, I’m living in a kind of self-deception.
Paul echoes this in Romans 2:13 when he says it’s not those who hear the law who are righteous, but those who do it. In other words, it’s not about how much we know—it’s about how much we obey.
And I think if we’re honest, this is where many of us get stuck. We’ve heard the verses. We can quote John 3:16. We might even agree with everything the Bible says. But the real question is: am I applying it in my life? Am I forgiving the person who hurt me? Am I trusting God with my finances? Am I surrendering that hidden sin I keep excusing?
Hearing alone doesn’t transform us. Obedience does. And every time we delay obedience, our hearts get a little harder, and that voice of God gets a little fainter.
The Rut of Delay
Here’s the danger: it’s possible to hear the Word, even feel stirred by the Word, and still do nothing with it. That’s what you call a rut. A rut looks like movement—tires are spinning—but you aren’t actually moving, aren’t actually making progress, even when you’re exerting so much energy and effort.
A.W. Tozer once put it this way: “A rut is just a grave with the ends kicked out.” That’s strong language, but he’s right. The ruts of life can feel busy—you’re still walking, still showing up, still doing the motions—but you’re not actually moving forward. And if you’ve been there, you know how it feels: empty, hopeless, purposeless, even emotionally numb.
Israel lived this out in the wilderness. After just two years in the desert, God had already done miracle after miracle—He shook Egypt with plagues, split the Red Sea, literally shook Mount Sinai with thunder, lightning, and His own voice, and even fed His people with manna every day. If anyone should have walked boldly into God’s promises, it was them. But when they stood on the doorstep of the Promised Land, they froze. Fear spoke louder than faith, and instead of stepping in, they circled the desert for 40 years (Numbers 13–14; Deuteronomy 1:6–8).
And it wasn’t just Israel. Pharaoh himself shows us how dangerous delay can be. Picture this: frogs were everywhere in Egypt. In the streets, in the kitchens, in the beds—even in the ovens and mixing bowls. It was chaos. So Moses comes to Pharaoh and basically says, “When do you want me to pray for the frogs to be gone?”
Now, if it were me, I’d shout, “Right now! Get rid of them this instant!” But Pharaoh’s answer is almost unbelievable. He says, “Tomorrow.” (Exodus 8:10).
Tomorrow? Who in their right mind would choose one more night with frogs in their bed? And yet, that’s exactly what delay does. It sounds harmless, but it keeps us stuck. It convinces us that later is good enough, that we’ll deal with it eventually, that one more night won’t hurt.
But every “tomorrow” hardens the heart just a little more. Every delay makes obedience harder the next time. That’s why Hebrews 3:15 says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
That’s the danger of the rut. It convinces us we’re making progress when we’re really just postponing obedience.
Breaking the Cycle
Here’s the good news: the rut doesn’t have to be the end of your story. Warnings in Scripture aren’t meant to shame us; they’re meant to wake us up. God never points out where we’re stuck without also pointing us toward a way out.
John writes, “The blood of Jesus… cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). Paul says, “The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2). That means you don’t have to circle the same mountain again. You don’t have to keep making the same excuses. You don’t have to wait for a “better” season to finally obey.
Through Jesus, forgiveness is real. Freedom is real. Intimacy with God is real. And the Spirit of God actually empowers us to step out of the cycle. The Israelites had a Promised Land waiting for them, but fear kept them circling. For us, the promise is life in Christ—freedom from sin and shame, a Spirit-filled life, and eternal hope.
The rut doesn’t have to define you. In fact, God wants to use the very places where you feel stuck to become the testimony of His grace in your life.
Why Today Matters
Here’s the thing about delay: it always whispers, “Tomorrow will be a better time.” Tomorrow I’ll get serious about God. Tomorrow I’ll deal with that sin. Tomorrow I’ll step into what I know He’s calling me to.
But Scripture doesn’t give us “tomorrow.” It gives us today.
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15)
The call of God is always in the present tense. Not “someday when life slows down,” not “when the kids are grown,” not “once I’ve got my finances in order.” Today. Right now.
So what does that look like? It’s not complicated. It’s just costly.
Accept Christ — not as a sprinkle of religion when life gets messy, but as Lord over every part of your life (Luke 9:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Repent — not circling guilt over the same sins, but actually turning away and walking a new direction (Acts 3:19).
Be discipled by Jesus — letting His Word, His Spirit, and His church shape you more than culture does (Romans 12:2).
You don’t need everyone else to move first. Remember the twelve spies? Ten were gripped by fear. Two—Joshua and Caleb—were filled with faith. And God honored the two. Be the two.
Don’t spend another night with the frogs. Don’t circle the same mountain again. Don’t wait for “tomorrow.” God is saying the same thing to us today that He said to Israel: “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance.” (Deuteronomy 1:6–7).
Final Word
If this message stirred something in you, don’t brush it off for later. Lean into it now.
If you want to dig deeper into the full teaching behind this blog, you can watch the complete sermon https://youtu.be/vVB9bAntizY
Or maybe you’re ready to take the next step—accepting Christ, repenting, and choosing to be discipled by Jesus—and you want someone to walk with you. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Reach out to us today. Click the link below to email us, and someone from our team will personally connect with you and help you take your next step.