Today my pastor’s message was about God ordained detours. Sometimes what we see as a detour is all a part of His perfect plan for our lives. It’s the journey that we didn’t plan that leads us to our best selves. I’m a firm believer that we are blessed by our shortcomings. At the end of the day, we are still God’s creation. Therefore, God already had a plan of how He was to use our failures. The very failures that He placed in us when He created us.

At times our failures and/or the fear of failing hold us back from stepping into the light. If God has not given us the spirit of fear, don’t accept it. Seek Him as you would a compass and press toward the mark, your destination.

This holiday season, take time to reflect on your past and present. Embrace where you are now. Acknowledge the blessings of this present moment. Search your heart and recognize where God is leading you on this path you are on. Do you feel that God brought you here? Why so or why not?

What has God placed on your heart? What lessons brought you wisdom this year? How can you be a blessing to someone else because of what you’ve been through?

Count it all joy. There are blessings in every part of our existence. Tap into it.