My husband and I love to hike. The more trees and trails the better. For me it’s especially fun to explore new turnoff-trails as they appear.  “Look, another trail! Let’s see where it leads!” For those who, unlike me, consider uncertainty more of a threat than an adventure, they’d rather not turn off. But either way, we have to go down one trail to see the next one turning off along the path.

Such is life. How many times have we decided to go a particular direction or chosen one way over another, only to discover the need to change later on? That can make us regret our original decision and wonder if we’ve wasted all that time going along the “trail” we’ve been on.

Maybe it’s a job or career choice. After some time, we realize that isn’t the best fit for us, and we need to “pivot”. Often this happens when we see an opportunity we’re better suited for, more of a “sweet spot” for us.

Does that mean we shouldn’t have chosen to do or become what we have already, and all we did was lose some years from our life? No, because we had to get to where we are now in that job or career to know what we know now about ourselves, about the work, and about the next opportunity. In other words, we couldn’t see where the trail is veering off until we get to it—meaning, we had to be on that trail to begin with.

For example, someone may be in corporate management and one day realize it’s time for them to start their own business. Those leadership and administrative skills will serve them well as an entrepreneur. Or vice-versa—an entrepreneur with a start-up may decide it’s time for them to sell out or “close up shop” and accept an offer from a company. Does this mean they wasted their time and effort in business? No, because they’ll take what they learned into the company, and it’s likely their experience got them the offer in the first place.

What about doing something “totally different”, though? Like professors or corporate workers going into full-time ministry? Or those in full-time ministry becoming professors or becoming insurance brokers? Or chemists becoming choir directors? Or moms becoming counselors and coaches? Or nurses becoming stay at home moms and later starting a flower-arranging business? Or… (the possibilities equal the number of various things we can be and do).

I’ve seen friends, family members, clients, and myself exemplify all of the above and more, with no regrets. In every case, we’ve taken our giftings, interests, acquired skills, personality, and character into the next part of the “trail”. And it was walking that trail that developed us into the person ready to veer off onto the next part. Even that which appears totally irrelevant and useless is still something we’ve learned from.

My own story involves a trail of study that indirectly led to life overseas in ministry, back to further study related to that, back overseas, raising a family most of that time, back to the U.S., and later discovering a trail turning off to a career in life/leadership coaching in my mid-fifties. Did I expect to become a “career woman” when I started out? No. But here I am. Does that mean I wasted my time with other stuff and should have started a career sooner to be “more successful”? No. It means I did what the Lord led me to do when He led me to do it and continue to follow His lead whenever He shows me the next trail turnoff up ahead. It makes the “hike” so much more interesting!

Here’s our goal—reaching the destination He has for us. The main part of that means becoming more like Him in character, as we draw near to Him. The other part involves living out what He’s designed and called us to do, at every age, stage, and moment of life.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect (contemplate) the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 3:18

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13b-14

We have to start and go along the “base trail” to reach whatever “summit trail” He has for us. Sometimes those trails may even converge and intertwine as we go, each one leading to the next.

So, whether we’re a college student thinking of changing majors, a person in mid-career thinking of changing careers, someone thinking of starting a family, or someone becoming a “career woman” for the first time in our fifties—nothing is wasted—it’s all part of the path that brought us to the turn-off on the trail.

Trust the Lord with our trails! “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Prov. 3:5-6

Where has your trail led you, and where are you being led now?