Hello friend, I hope you are doing okay. I know that life has not been easy, especially when you find yourself thinking of all the ways you are falling behind. I understand how discouraging that can feel and the type of weight you secretly carry around because of it. Whether for you it be the career you can't quite seem to get right, or all of your friends are finding themselves happy and settling down and it becomes difficult to celebrate those types of wins for others. Or maybe you do have the career and partner, but you are ready to grow your family and it seems like having children just isn't in the books for you because you are broken and can't even "do what you were created to do".
Please hear me when I tell you that life is not a competition. No two people are meant to reach milestones at the exact same time or in the exact same way. You can make all the plans for yourself that you want to, but there is no guarantee that any of them are going to pan out the way you think they should. But that is something that you have to learn to be okay with. Sure it can be a hard pill to swallow, but grab a glass of water and down it anyways.
The Bible tells us that there are multiple parts when it comes to being the body of Christ, therefore that should make it obvious that there are going to be things different about you and the person next to you. You will be able to do things that they cannot and vice versa, as well as reaching certain mile markers at different speeds.
Now I get it, the overwhelming feeling and emotions that consume you on any given day. The anxiety and disappointment when you doom scroll and you see of the highlight reels from people you know, as well as complete strangers. It cracks the door and allows the enemy to slip in and start planting seeds of comparison, convincing you that you are not at all where you should be for your age. You start to panic and wonder what it is you're doing wrong and you start to tell yourself that you are failing at life and will never be able to catch up. You start to find that it is hard to celebrate wins for those around you because they have something that you do not, and that eventually leads to bitterness taking root. Yes, you are happy for your friends, as you never want them to not achieve their goals, but you lose interest in wanting to be front row for their highlight moments because you can't relate or feel it may never happen for you.
But for the record, those thoughts and feelings are not serving you, and they are certainly not factual. We are taught that life is supposed to be lived in a straight line, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Life is very rarely straight forward. It is full of twists and turns, detours, necessary pauses, unexpected heartbreaks, and unexpected joys.
Flowers are never going to bloom out of season, and neither are you. The time spent resting, healing, starting over, or simply trying to get through the day - none of it is ever wasted. It is work that you are putting in and it is helping build that foundation. You are not late, but actually right on time. God already had your life planned out for you before you were even born. He sees your life from start to finish and He is in control. And the good thing about that, is the fact that God exists outside of time. How can you be late if time is a man-made concept? You can't!
Think of this from the perspective of an archer. Before that arrow flies, it has to be aimed and then pulled back before being let go in the direction of the target. There are steps that have to be taken in order to make the intended shot. So what you see as road blocks or set backs, could actually be devine intervention. So let me show you some scripture to help you see what I mean.
As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven". God knows exactly where you are and what you need in this exact moment. Your seasons are in His hands and you are not forgotten.
In Isaiah 40:31, it states "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength". Waiting is not a punishment, and it doesn't mean that you are falling behind. it is often the place where your roots have the chance to grow deeper. God is with you in the waiting.
Matthew 11:28 will tell you "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest". Jesus offers you peace and rest, not pressure or a checklist. You do not need to rush to keep up with anyone else, because the Lord will and does gently lead you.
Take a deep breath and give yourself some grace and remember that you are not being left behind, but refined. There is no boat that you have missed and your worth has never been tied to a timeline, that is a lie from the devil himself. Your worth will only ever be tied to the One who numbers your days and holds you securely in the palm of His hand.
Rest well today, because you are exactly where you are meant to be.
Sincerely, someone who gets it and is praying for you.
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