Across the UK, deserted schools and offices are suddenly not so deserted anymore. Traffic suddenly adds 30 extra minutes onto travel time. Dozy afternoons by the fire seem a distant memory as ‘real life’ kicks back into gear after the lull of Christmas.

Many of us watched the new year turn and resolved that something this year would be different. Nothing wrong with that. It’s a natural thing, even a good thing. But 90% of us have gone back to “the same”.

The same office, with the same colleagues, the same boss and the same work.

The same routine, with the necessary structures and demands.

The same financial worry, added to with the overspend of December.

The same struggle, with anxiety or the dark cloud of depression.

The same.

It can be disheartening when you feel like 2017 might be different, might be special and the first real day is… the same. Perhaps you felt like your heart is filled by a big dream and you’re wondering how to begin moving towards that. Maybe you’re wondering if this year might finally be the year that you meet someone, that someone who might end up as The One. Or maybe you just needed some hope, some genuine, heartwarming, hope.

So your circumstances aren’t different. At least, not today. That’s hard but every journey has to start somewhere. They might not be controllable but many other things are. There are ways to find something new, in the same situation. Here’s 3 things that you have the power to change even when you feel like you’re stuck in the same:

Your Attitude:

So much of what we experience is down to our attitude. Walking into work or school or whatever your routine involves, when you’re convinced that it’s going to be a bad day rarely produces a good day.

Your Faith:

If God has promised you something or placed a dream in your heart, then he will bring it completion! Philippians 1:6 tells us that. Our role is to believe that he will do what he’s promised: that’s called faith!

Your Work:

If you’re stuck in a situation that you don’t like, it can be tempting to drag your heels and do the bare minimum. Colossians 3:23 encourages us that we should do whatever we do as if we were doing it directly for God – because ultimately we are! That turns even our mundane tasks into worship.