It rains a lot in Western Washington. And it’s cold in the winter. So if you visit around Christmas, like we recently did, you’ll be building fires and sitting with blankets.
And when you’re building a fire, you’ll want to make sure you use dry logs, because when they are wet, they are difficult to burn. You don’t want to find yourself wasting time and energy trying to burn soaked lumber, using up all your paper and cardboard in fruitless attempts to warm the cabin, furthering your reputation as a city kid.
I wonder if you’re trying light a fire with wet logs. Is there a struggle you’re engaged in that’s hopeless? Have you been clinging to the thing out of pride, desperation, or some misguided sense of responsibility? Are you banging you head against a locked door?
There’s a difference between an obstacle and a locked door. You can breakthrough barriers and obstacles with strategy and perseverance. But some doors are locked so that you have to find a different door. Yet some of us keep ramming our heads or burning matches to the nubs out of pride and the “comfort” of stilling with our hopeless problem. Believe it or not, we can become hooked on our problem or struggle because it’s the devil we know and we’re afraid to give it up. The false sense of purpose has us trapped in a struggle cycle.
Maybe it’s time to get new wood or try a different door.