When Life Paralyzes Your Plans: Building a New Life Forward

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve ever felt like your life script got ripped up—if you’ve been knocked off a cliff, spiritually or literally—you know the ache of wanting to rewind. You look at the life you *thought* you were going to have, the path you were certain of, and you just want to go back to that moment before everything went wrong.

It’s a feeling that can settle deep into your bones, making the future look less like a journey and more like a series of insurmountable obstacles. We all face moments where the "old life" seems infinitely better than the difficult, messy reality of the "new life."

But what if the Lord is calling us not to mourn what we lost, but to build something magnificent with what we *have* right now? This week’s insights, drawn from the powerful story of Joseph of Egypt and a modern-day testament to resilience, remind us that our greatest strength often emerges not in avoiding the fall, but in refusing to stay down.

The Power of the Pivot: Choosing Forward

The discussion this week centered on the narrative of Joseph. Think about his journey: sold into slavery, falsely accused, and betrayed by those he loved. Each setback was monumental. Yet, Joseph never seemed to spend his days wishing for the life before Potiphar’s house, or before his brothers’ treachery. Instead, he built. He served. He adapted.

It mirrored a story shared about a woman named Meg Johnson. Her story is a profound lesson in discipleship. Imagine being in college, having the time of your life, and then experiencing an accident that leaves you quadriplegic. The natural inclination is to dwell on the "what ifs"—the life she lost.

“I had to make a decision. I could spend the rest of my life wanting my old life back... Or I could get busy building my new life.”

That choice—that pivot—is what defines a disciple. It’s the conscious decision to stop looking backward at the pain, the disappointment, or the derailed plans, and instead, to ask, "What can I build *now*?"

Applying the Pivot in Our Own Lives

This isn't just about physical recovery; it’s about spiritual resilience. When we are called to serve, and the mission field is tough, when our efforts feel unseen, or when we face discouragement from our own companions or leaders, where do we pivot? We pivot back to the core message: Service and faith in the Savior.

The Spirit whispers that the Lord doesn't ask us to be perfect; He asks us to be persistent. He asks us to take the broken pieces of our circumstances—the failed endeavor, the misunderstanding, the temporary setback—and use them as the foundation for something new. That’s how we become truly Christlike.

This principle is so vital to our calling as internet missionaries. Sometimes, the effort feels like shouting into the void. Sometimes, the response to our heartfelt efforts feels like rejection. But like Joseph, we must choose to build the next lesson, the next conversation, the next act of kindness, rather than dwelling on the silence or the 'no' we received yesterday.

I encourage you to take a moment this week to identify one area—in your calling, in your family, or in your own spiritual habits—where you feel stuck looking backward. Then, ask yourself: What is the smallest, most tangible thing I can do *today* to build something new?

If you want to explore this concept of resilience and divine purpose further, I highly recommend listening to the full podcast episode. It dives deep into Joseph's journey and the lessons of moving forward despite unimaginable difficulty. You can find it on the followHIM website.

For those of you who are preparing for missions, remember that missionary preparation isn't about having all the perfect answers; it’s about developing the muscle memory of faith to keep going when the answers are elusive. Keep studying, keep serving, and keep pivoting toward the Savior!