When Life Brings A Detour

One day, one hour, one moment can change things. What do you do when life brings a detour? How do you view God when you hit the detour, when life brings something other than you had hoped for?

As 2015 came to a close things were busy, booming even. The last year my little business had steady growth and the struggles of the early years of a small business owner seemed behind me. I was excited for 2016 and wanted to keep the momentum going. I celebrated in San Francisco, spending time with an old friend and came home ready to take on 2016.

I went out for a meeting and came home a few hours later to the next door units being on fire. Thankfully we were spared but by night I was sitting on a bed in some horrid hotel, reeling that this was happening again. Two years ago a flood put us out for 3 months. My friends now call this the house of terror. My townhouse looks fine but everything smelled of smoke. So much to be thankful for but still waking up in a hotel, even the improved hotel suite, I am calling home, is hard.

Many times I have cried out to God – why am I here again? What didn’t I learn? What do I need to get right?

Have you felt that way?

How you handle detours?

How do we find hope when life and people disappoint us?

I don’t know that I am asking the right questions. What I do know is that God knows my heart, so each morning I dive into His word, praying and seeking His will for my life. On days when I feel out of control, helpless and weary I run to him.

I try to start each day listing everything I have to be grateful for, because I know my current struggle is very little in comparison with what some of you are facing today.

This is what I am clinging to in this season:

If God is for me who can be against me? Romans 8:31

He tells us  “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” Joshua 1:5

If life bring you a detour and you find yourself in a similar space consider:

1. Start Each Day With God

• Spend time reading the bible. I am going through the One Year Bible. You can purchase one here or go to oneyearbible.com and read that day’s entry.
• Reflect on what you have read.
• What verses stand out to you?

Write out your prayers. I go between writing them out in a journal and using Day One, a great journaling tool.

Write down a verse that is meaningful to you.

2. Be Grateful

This is everything. It is life changing. Be thankful. Not just quietly, say thank you. Tell someone what they mean to you.

3. Do Something

Sometimes when we are in difficult situations we retreat, isolate and spend way too much time in our hosting our own private pity party. I think the best thing we can do is get out. Walk or exercise. Spend time with friends. Go to a movie.

4. Take Care Of Yourself

Go easy on yourself. This is the time to practice a bit more self-care. Get more sleep. Do your nails. Read a fun book. Take a bubble bath. Steal a few moments for yourself. When we are in the midst of trials it burns up all of our energy. We can be running around caring for others, forgetting to stop and take a few minutes to feed our own soul.

5. Think Beyond Yourself

Find a way to give back. Do something nice for someone else. Show concern for someone in need. Create a pay it forward line at Starbucks. Who in your life needs help? Who would benefit from a call, an offer to bring over dinner, watch their kids, an anonymous blessing. When we do this we allow we are saying “Lord, I trust that you are in control. I am going to keep on and let you deal with this all.”

If you can do that, days get brighter. Hope swells. We see God in the littlest details of our day.

Romans 12:12  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Psalm 27:4-5 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.  For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

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