Life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them. One day you're cruising along with your five-year plan perfectly mapped out, and the next you're wondering where God is in all of it. If you've ever found yourself in that place – questioning, waiting, and maybe even doubting – you're not alone.
WHEN THE PATH GETS FOGGY
There's something uniquely disorienting about life transitions. Whether it's a career change, a move, a relationship shift, or financial uncertainty, these seasons have a way of making us feel like we're walking through fog with a broken compass. I've been there more times than I could count, and if I'm honest, those moments taught me more about faith than I could ever have imagined.
A few years ago, I found myself in one of those "what now, God?" seasons. I was facing a major job transition, and for the first time in my adult life, I had absolutely no idea where the Lord was leading me. The uncertainty was suffocating. I'd always been someone who needed a plan, who thrived on knowing what came next. But there I was, standing at a crossroads with zero visibility.
THE HUMBLING REALITY OF DEPENDENCE
Several months ago, my financial situation took a nosedive. Pride is a funny thing – it convinces you that asking for help is weakness, that struggling means you've somehow failed at adulting. But sometimes God allows circumstances that take away our illusion of control and remind us where our true security lies.
I ended up moving in with family during one of the most financially challenging seasons of my life. Every day felt like a reminder of how far I'd fallen from where I thought I should be. But looking back now, I can see how God used that season to teach me about genuine community, humility, and the difference between what we want and what we actually need.
Living in someone else's space, following someone else's household rhythms, and constantly feeling like you're imposing – it's humbling in the best and hardest way. But it also taught me that sometimes God's provision doesn't look like what we expected. Sometimes it looks like a sister who opens her door without question and creates space for you to figure things out.
WHEN LONELINESS FEELS LIKE ABANDONMENT
Perhaps the most unexpected challenges I experienced came from seasons of loneliness. It's strange how life transitions can reveal which friendships were built to last. As my circumstances changed, I found myself slowly losing touch with friends who had been constants in my life.
The silence was deafening. Text threads that used to buzz with activity suddenly went quiet. Invitations stopped coming.
It's easy to start wondering if God has forgotten about you too, if maybe you've somehow fallen off His radar while you've lost touch with others.
FINDING YOUR FOOTING WHEN EVERYTHING SHIFTS
So how do you stay grounded in faith when life feels like quicksand? Here's what I learned in those uncertain seasons of life:
Anchor yourself in what doesn't change. When everything around you is shifting, you need something solid to hold onto. For me, that meant returning to the basics – God's character, His promises, His Word. I started each morning reading Psalms because I needed to remember who God was when I couldn't see what He was doing.
Embrace the discomfort of waiting. Our culture teaches us that uncertainty equals failure, that not knowing means we're behind somehow. But biblical faith is built on the foundation of trusting God even when – especially when – we can't see the next step. Abraham left his homeland without knowing the destination. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Waiting and wondering aren't flaws in the system; they're features of faith.
Look for God in the unexpected places. I spent so much time looking for grand gestures and dramatic signs that I almost missed the quiet ways God was showing up. It was my sister's kindness, in unexpected job opportunities, in random encouragements from people who had no idea what I was walking though. God's provision rarely looks like what we imagined, but it's always exactly what we need.
THE VIEW FROM HERE
I wish I could tell you that everything worked out exactly how I planned, that God revealed His master plan in dramatic fashion, and that I never doubted again. What did happen was slower and less Instagram-worthy, but ultimately more beautiful.
The job situation sorted itself out gradually. The financial stress eased as I learned to live with less and appreciate more. New friendships formed that were deeper and more genuine than some of the ones I'd mourned losing.
Most importantly, I learned that staying grounded in faith during transitions isn't about having all the answers or feeling certain all the time. It's about choosing to trust God's character even when you can't trace His hand. It's about showing up to your life – the messy, uncertain, in-between life – and believing that God is writing a story you can't see yet.
FOR THOSE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT
If you're reading this from your own season of transition, take heart. The fog will lift. The path will become clearer. And when you look back, you'll see that God was there in the uncertainty, working in ways you couldn't perceive at the time.
Your transition might not look like mine. Maybe you're navigating a career change, a relationship ending, a health challenge, or a move to a new city. Maybe you're facing financial stress, family changes, or the loss of something that you feel defined you. Whatever it may be, remember that transitions aren't evidence of God's absence – they're often the very places where His presence becomes most felt.
Stay anchored in truth. Embrace the discomfort of not knowing. Look for God in the ordinary moments. Build rhythms that center your focus on the Lord. And trust that even when you can't see where you're going, you're being led by the One who knows exactly where you need to be.
At The Main Street Exchange, we are passionate about showing up authentically to whatever season we're in and trusting that God is big enough to handle our questions, our doubts, and our messy humanity.
Because here's the truth: staying grounded in faith during life's transitions isn't about being strong enough to weather the storm. It's about being honest enough to admit you can't, and wise enough to anchor yourself to the One who can.
