Still Waters: Deepening Your Faith & Well-being

Have you ever felt stuck and it lasted so long that the temptation to stay there was stronger than the need to make a move?

My observation of a client yesterday was that they had reached similar place of stagnancy. A place I have known all too well. After asking for clarification on what that meant, I explained it through the analogy of still water and the dangers it holds. It’s quiet, calm, undisturbed. The kind of water that invites you to wade in or drink from without fear. But what most people don’t realize is that still water can be the most dangerous kind — not because of what churns visibly beneath the surface, but because of what grows silently within it.

In nature, stagnant water becomes a breeding ground. Negative things flourish and thrive where there is no flow, no circulation. What looks clear and still from the surface may, in fact, be quietly toxic. That’s what a stagnant place in life feels like and absolutely is, too.

When you're stuck — emotionally, mentally, creatively — the threat doesn’t look dramatic. It creeps in quietly, even feels safer. Routine replaces intention. Numbness replaces passion. Days start to blur. You stop dreaming. You stop reaching. And before you realize it, your mind becomes a breeding ground for beliefs and habits that slowly erode who you are. Stagnation is the psychological version of still water: peaceful on the outside, but if you stay in it too long, it starts to change you from the inside out.

The Dangers of Still Water

- Passive decay. You're not failing, but you're not growing either — which, over time, will re-root itself in the belief that you are a failure.

- Toxic thoughts thrive. Self-doubt, apathy, and fear multiply when there's no movement or challenge to disrupt them.

- Comfort turns corrosive. What once felt restful becomes restrictive. Though comfortable, it is not as safe as it seems.

- You lose your edge. The longer you stay stuck, the harder it becomes to even want to move.

So How Do You Get Out?

You don’t need a tidal wave, that is unsustainable and can be even more tragic. You just need circulation — motion — life.

1. Disturb the Waters

Do something that disrupts the status quo. Say yes to something that feels uncomfortable, but in a healthy way. Maybe the one thing you've been convincing yourself not to do, is the one thing you are needing to do. Say no to something that drains you. Shake the glass.

2. Pursue Friction

Growth rarely happens in comfort. If it feels too easy, it probably isn’t challenging you. Welcome discomfort like an antiseptic — it might sting, but it cleans.

3. Identify What’s Festering

What thought patterns have been left unexamined? What toxic narratives have you allowed to take root? Write them down. Expose them to air. Then turn them for the truth of what God says.

4. Let Curiosity Flow

Stillwater becomes safe when movement returns. Start small: a question you’ve avoided, a book that stretches you, a conversation you’ve been putting off. Curiosity is circulation. Trust yourself to be curious about the right things.

5. Don’t Wait for Rescue

No one’s coming to stir your waters for you. You have to choose the current. Even a tiny ripple breaks the stagnation. Can people come with you? Yes! Maybe you need someone around you that inspires you, but don't wait on them, be willing to move first or their efforts won't matter.

We tend to think danger comes with noise — crashing waves, sudden storms, flash floods. But don't let tragedy make you choose fear of moving water.

Don’t stay too long in a place that asks nothing of you. You weren’t made to float under a life raft forever. You were made to move, so take a deep breath, and dive in!

Roark Kerr & Associates stands ready to help you take that first step. Call us at (806) 283-8586 or contact us to start your journey today.

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