Isn’t it amazing that before we were born, God perfectly mapped out the twisty, windy road that would be our life journey? He carefully planned for every mountain, valley, and stretch of road, equipping us with exactly what we need for each roadblock we navigate and person we meet. He leaves nothing to chance. It’s all divinely orchestrated, this seemingly chaotic, yet beautifully crafted planet populated with humanity that is messy, precious, delightful, and completely known. Loved.

It doesn’t catch Him off guard when we worry, rehearse, and stress over our future. He knows we have plans, ideas, and dreams because He placed them in us. He omnipotently sees the path we need to follow to accomplish the purpose we were created to fulfill. Our journeys brush up against others following the road set out before them. Interwoven with blessings and kindness. A human tapestry that He calls His masterpiece.

I wonder, if like me, you question why and how you ended up on the road you are traveling. Sometimes it’s smooth, easy, and all is going your way. Other times it is not. You know the dreams and passions you have inside that are bursting to get out. You have things to do and places to go, but the road you are walking is not the one you would have chosen. The obstacles you have to overcome—pain, loss, loneliness, and fear—seem to serve no purpose. They feel so heavy on your shoulders. So tired, so weary…where is this road leading? How much longer do you have to struggle through?

I wonder if gratitude is the answer. It seems completely counterintuitive. It feels wrong and dismissive of the hardships, but maybe it isn’t? When I look back on my life, there are portions of my road that I disliked to my core. Seasons that filled me with fear, anger, physical and mental pain, and sadness. I saw no blessings there. I saw nothing to be thankful for, and I did not feel any gratitude for what I had to slog through. It felt pointless and mean.

I did make it through that season of life, but not without scars and memories. I wasn’t filled with the joy of the Lord or brimming with thankfulness. Definitely not. It was a road that I would not have chosen. But…

Now that I am past that part of my journey, I can look back and see that things played out the way they needed to. Those difficult sections of the path were necessary. Never minimizing or dismissive of the pain, but it is part of my life story. He holds my tears in lovely crystal jars, continually speaking blessings, prophesy, healing, and peace over them.

The lessons learned about God’s faithfulness, goodness, mercy, and healing needed to happen the way they did. Not everything turned out the way I hoped and dreamed, and He has helped me wrestle with that loss and disappointment. It is a blessing to know that parts of my life story have brought hope and healing to others who needed to see that scars can be beautiful, reminders that there is always light in the darkest of nights. The pain and obstacles others have faced have done the same for me. All interconnected and planned to bless and heal—a revelation of Himself. God does dwell in and bless the broken road that in our finite human wisdom we would not have chosen.