Where You Are Right Now Is Not Where You Have to Be for the Rest of Your Life

A new year feels a lot like the start of a fresh quarter, a moment to pause, reassess, and step back into the game with a clearer sense of direction. As I return to The Third Quarter, I’ve been reflecting on what this season of my life has truly looked like. And if I’m being honest, these past few months have been some of the most challenging I’ve ever navigated.

I’ve felt stuck.

Stuck trying to understand adulthood.

Stuck trying to heal from old wounds that still echo.

Stuck trying to strengthen my relationship with God.

Stuck trying to make sense of my love life, my purpose, and the passions I haven’t fully uncovered yet.

I’ve been asking myself whether I’m standing where God wants me to be. And trusting His plan is difficult when you’re someone who finds comfort in clarity and control. I’ve always wanted to know the next step before taking it. But lately, God has been teaching me something uncomfortable and necessary: where I am right now is not where I have to remain.

That truth is both grounding and humbling.

Growth requires patience. Healing requires honesty. Becoming who God created me to be requires lessons I haven’t learned yet, and some I’ve been avoiding.

I’ve been struggling with self‑discipline, motivation, and the pressure to constantly be productive. As a young adult, it often feels like if I’m not moving at full speed, I’m falling behind. But some days, simply getting out of bed is an achievement. Some days, showing up for myself is enough. I’m learning to give myself grace for that.

Anxiety has been loud lately, second‑guessing every decision, every direction, every instinct. I don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life, but I do know what I want to be: successful. And success looks different for everyone.

For some, success is financial abundance.

For others, it’s stability, paying the bills, keeping a roof overhead, and trusting that God will continue to provide even when life feels uncertain.

With the Lord, we are abundantly blessed. When we shift our focus from what we lack to what we’ve been given, and when we give back to Him, we begin to understand that success isn’t a finish line. It’s a posture of gratitude, faith, and resilience.

Life is confusing. It’s demanding. It’s full of lessons we never asked for but desperately need. And if you’re anything like me, maybe you’ve been moving through these past few months in a state of emotional exhaustion, trying to hold everything together while quietly unraveling.

But hear this: where you are now is not where you have to stay.

God’s plan for you is bigger than your current struggle, deeper than your current uncertainty, and stronger than your current season.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This verse isn’t just comforting, It’s a promise. A reminder that God’s plan is intentional, protective, and filled with hope. He doesn’t leave us stuck. He doesn’t leave us confused. He doesn’t leave us behind.

You may be in the third quarter of your life, but the game is far from over. There is still room to grow, to pivot, to rise, to become everything God has called you to be.

Where you are right now is simply a chapter, not the whole story.

What step, no matter how small, are you willing to take to move forward from where you are today?