Trust the Journey

Last weekend, my family packed into the car for a road trip to northwest Pennsylvania – five of us – with ten hours ahead. We had snacks stocked, playlists ready, and a route mapped out. With teenagers in the back and adults up front, we felt prepared and on schedule.

But, as with most journeys, the road had other ideas.

We hit long stretches of construction through West Virginia. A sudden thunderstorm darkened the skies and slowed us to a crawl. We added an impromptu college visit. There were detours, delays, and more than one tense conversation about when to stop for lunch. In other words, it was real life.

And yet, we made it. Not just to the destination, but through each moment, planned and unplanned.

Proverbs 16:9 reminds us: “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.”

This ancient wisdom doesn’t discourage planning. It affirms our ability to think ahead, to chart a course. But it also reminds us that our vision is limited, and the work of the Holy Spirit is always moving around and through us. Our challenge, whether on a summer road trip or navigating the journey of the everyday, is to be present and engaged, but to hold on loosely enough to create space for God.

To hold on loosely doesn’t mean giving up or drifting aimlessly. It means learning to walk with humility. It means accepting that interruptions can be invitations, and that God's grace often meets us, not in the fulfillment of our expectations, but in the transformation of them.

This week, whatever road you're on, may you hold your plans loosely. May you meet each moment with trust. And may you find that, even in the detours, God is already there, guiding every step.