Rewrite the Script · Direction and the next step
When Life Keeps Throwing Curveballs
Have you ever had one of those seasons when every time you think you finally know where you're going, life throws another curveball?
Have you ever had one of those seasons when every time you think, "Okay, I think I finally know where I'm going," life throws another curveball? You make the decision, start moving forward, and maybe even get a little excited about what's ahead. Then, just when you think you're gaining momentum, you run straight into a brick wall.
So you regroup. You pray. You think things through and come up with another plan. You tell yourself, "Okay, maybe that wasn't the direction. Let's try this." You start moving again, and before you know it, there's another wall waiting for you. After enough of those moments, you start wondering, "Lord, what in the world are we doing here?"
I'll be the first to admit there are days when I want to scream. There are also days when staying in bed, pulling the covers over my head, and pretending I have absolutely no responsibilities sounds like a perfectly reasonable life strategy. Maybe you've had those days too. Sometimes you get tired of regrouping. You get tired of figuring out another way. You get tired of being strong, positive, hopeful, and ready for whatever comes next.
But I'm learning that faith doesn't always look like standing confidently on top of the mountain declaring that you know exactly where God is taking you. Sometimes faith looks a whole lot more like standing in front of yet another brick wall, looking up and saying, "Okay, Lord. What are we doing today?"
Not next month. Not next year. Not, "Lord, please explain this entire plan to me so I can decide whether I like it." Just today. What are we doing today? Where do You want me to go? What do You want me to do with what is right in front of me?
I think one of the hardest things about these seasons is how quickly we begin questioning ourselves. Did I make the wrong decision? Did I hear God wrong? Did I waste my time? Why did He allow me to get this far if this wasn't going to work? Those are real questions, and I don't think we have to be afraid to ask them.
But maybe the wall isn't the end. Maybe the curveball doesn't mean you heard God wrong. Maybe the thing that didn't work out isn't proof that everything you did before was wasted. Maybe you simply don't have enough information yet to understand what God is doing.
That's the hard part, isn't it? We want answers, and God asks for trust. We want the map, and He often gives us the next step. We want Him to explain why the door closed, why the plan changed, or why something we were so sure about suddenly looks completely different. Sometimes, instead of an explanation, all we get is the invitation to keep following Him.
So how do you handle it when life keeps throwing curveballs? I think you give yourself permission to be human. Cry if you need to cry. Admit that you're disappointed. Tell God you're frustrated. And yes, maybe you spend a little time under those covers. Faith doesn't mean pretending that something doesn't hurt when it does.
But eventually, you get back up. Not because you suddenly understand everything. Not because you have another brilliant plan. Not because the brick wall magically disappeared. You get up because the God you trusted before you hit that wall is still God on this side of it.
Maybe today you don't need to figure out your entire future. Maybe you don't even need the breakthrough you've been praying for just yet. Maybe what you need today is enough faith for the next step and enough trust to believe that God can see what you cannot.
So get up. Pour the coffee. Look at the day in front of you and say, "Okay, Lord. I'm here. What are we doing today?"
Then listen for the next step and take it.
Because sometimes that is what faith looks like.
God does the how. You do the do.
Start with the main idea: What does God say about that? →
Carole Mendoza
Christian life and business coach, speaker and author · Pooler, Georgia
Carole has coached, taught and spoken alongside people through seasons of growth, transition, leadership and change since 2019. She works one-on-one and with leaders and teams, in English and Spanish.
More about Carole →Coaching is where this gets personal.
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