Turn Back or Move Forward? What To Do When Life Doesn’t Go Your Way

I asked for a dry road. In fact, I breathed that prayer before I even got into my car to return home from a weekend trip at my parents. The weather report said “stormy” but I believed God could clear that storm out of my way for a safe, uneventful trip home.

And then it started to rain. Slowly first, just a few drops here and there hitting the windshield. The sky was dark and it looked like my path forward was right into the heart of the turbulence.

What to do? Turn back? Pull aside and give the storm a chance to blow over? Or keep moving forward with my plan to cruise the eight hours on the highway as quickly as possible to arrive home before dark?

Obviously I needed to get home. The rain might slow me down, but it wasn’t going to change my plans. And then the epiphany moment happened and I realized how often we falter when life doesn’t turn out the way we hoped — and even more critically — the way we prayed.

I had faith when I started the journey that God could clear the storm clouds and hold back the rain. I prayed for clear, dry roads so I could make good time. No hindrances, no mishaps. Smooth sailing to help me reach my destination quickly.

The rain could easily have thrown me into chaos. Nagging doubts and indecision could easily have crept in as the rain pelted my windshield, my sunny pathway hidden from view.

But even as it would have been silly for me to turn back because of a little rain, wavering at every sign of adversity on our life path is just as foolish. Has God called you on this journey? Did you seek his input, ask for his guidance?

Just because we face a bit of hardship, doesn’t mean the plan has changed. Too often we’re way too quick to bail out of a good thing when the going gets tough or the path is a little rougher than we expected.

Trials will come. Hardships may happen. But if you’ve sought God and his good counsel for this journey, your best option is to keep moving forward.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3)