Reflection

It can be so incredibly disorienting to look around at your life and not recognize where you are. 

You thought you’d be further ahead by now. You thought that you would be more healed, or more certain, or more settled. You thought that some of the heartbreak would have softened within you, would have lost its edge. You thought you’d feel more sure of your direction, more sure of who you are. Instead, you are stuck in a loop, relearning lessons you hoped were finally behind you, circling back to wounds you worked so hard to close, and part of you wonders if you’ve failed. If you’ve wasted your time. If you somehow did something wrong.

God isn’t measuring your life by the pace you hold within it. He is not disappointed by your slow days or surprised by the things that have held you back. He doesn’t look at you with impatience — he looks at you with understanding. He sees the full scope of your journey, and even when you’re frustrated with how long your blessings or your ease is taking, he is still committed to the process of who you are becoming. He is still working in your heart.

There is no divine deadline that you have somehow missed, no milestone you failed to reach. Growth is not linear, and healing doesn’t always arrive on schedule. Sometimes the most sacred seasons are the ones that look the least impressive on the outside — the ones where all you can do is continue to show up, quietly and faithfully, trusting that God is doing something meaningful beneath the surface of your life.

You haven’t failed just because the vision you hold so gently in your heart is taking longer than you expected. Progress is still progress, even when it is hidden, even when it is quiet. God is still working, even when you can’t feel it. 

You are not behind. 

You are exactly where his grace needs you to be.

Prayer

God, I have to admit that I’ve been discouraged lately. I imagined I’d be further along than where I am by now. I had hoped that I would be stronger, steadier, more confident in what my future holds. I don’t want to let comparison or timelines rob me of my peace. Help me to trust that you’re still writing a beautiful story with my life, even when I feel stuck in the middle of it. Teach me to value faithfulness over speed, presence over pressure, and to believe that I’m not running out of time — I’m learning how to walk in step with you. 

Amen.