My family didn’t own many record albums when I was a child, but I still remember the few we had, including one put out by Patti Page. One of her most famous songs, “Detour,” was on that record and I still get earworms from that song.
“Detour! There’s a muddy road ahead, Detour! Paid no mind to what it said, Detour! Oh these bitter things I find, should have read That detour sign.”
The lyrics reflect on what happens to a person who intentionally ignores a detour sign, whether a physical road sign or warnings about the consequences of certain life choices. But I’ve found that sometimes life takes detours with no prior warning and not necessarily to steer us away from harmful choices. Somehow, somewhere, life too a hard left without any warning and our new set of circumstances prohibit us from accomplishing what we’ve set out to do.
What did I miss? Was I doing something wrong?
In our own strength, we regroup and try to get back on track, but when we do, it feels like we’re banging our heads on a barricade. And we hastily conclude that maybe that season of life is over. Done. The dream has died and God has other plans.
Maybe. Or maybe whatever has happened to us is not the destination or a permanent change of address. It’s just a detour. A pause. A short-term assignment that looks nothing like the larger goal.
Detours are temporary.
We will get on the main track later. It may take longer than we expected and the road we are now on may be unfamiliar territory, but we will get back to the main road—sometime. For now, we just follow the signs and trust that the DOT knows what they’re doing and that some ornery prankster didn’t angle one of the signs in the wrong way.
In the same way, when life events steer us off course or dump us at a T intersection, the best solution is to follow the daily signs, do a lot of praying, and trust that God knows the best route to get you from where you are to where He wants you to be.
Detour signs don’t always tell us why we’re taking an alternate route. The detour is inconvenient and often takes longer. But the purpose of the detour is to protect us from something that could bring our life plans to a catastrophic end—everything from muddy roads, bridge construction, and bad car accidents. The detour is inconvenient but like Patti Page’s song says, it’s nothing like what life could have been if we’d kept going on our set path.
What to do with a detour.
Once we’re on that alternate route, we can react to the new route in several ways:
- Ignore the signs and try to find our own shortcut.
- Become anxious and stressed by the unknown route and equally unknown length of time it might take.
- We can relax. We can accept that this is part of God’s plan and that He has some next exciting moments He’s waiting to share with us.
Here are 5 ways you can cope with a detour
Trust God.
Let God coordinate your itinerary. You don’t have to know the long-range outcome. Just follow Him turn by turn. In our morning prayers, my husband and I often pray, “Lord, we have plans for today, but we don’t’ know everything that will happen. You do—and we pray You’ll guide and strengthen us for what You know is ahead.
Enjoy the scenery.
Have you ever found a delightful restaurant, an out-of-the-way tourist attraction, or the best hotel you’ve ever stayed in because you had to take a detour or missed a turn on a road trip? We can take that approach in our spiritual life. Enjoy the ride. Bloom where you’re planted. Linger over new relationships. I start my daily prayers with, “Lord, what do You want me to see today? Who do you want me to see today?” Same as with a road trip, the discoveries are delightful.
Use detour time to slow down, refuel, and do different things.
For me, the last month has felt like a detour. To keep busy, I’ve read books I’ve put off reading. I made my “Baker’s Dozen” breads video series. I’ve dug out old piano music. And I’ve returned to writing fiction—just for the fun of it. I’ve discovered I needed this longer lingering route. It’s not merely a rest stop—it’s more like traveling a country road rather than a high-speed interstate.
Keep watch.
God may be using your detour time to refit you for what’s next. Or He may not. It may be time for a major life redirection. This time of quiet reset gives you a chance to assess where you’re at and prepare for reentry. Keep open, keep praying, and most of all, let God know you’re okay with His travel plans, whatever they may be. Tell Him you want to work with Him so you can be ready for whatever He has planned for you further out on your life path.
Invite God to go with you.
Take God with you in the everyday moments of service to others, what you and I might call the “little things.”like making cookies for neighbors, reading a new book, playing with a child, sharing a celebration with a new high school or college graduate, or stopping to take photos of God’s creation (We want to see! Share your creation photos with the What I Saw God Do Today Facebook group!) Use whatever opportunities arise to share your faith, comfort someone in need, or do something courageous in the name of Jesus.
As you head out into your day, the best thing you can do is to take God with you. Involve Him in every step. Lean on Him for understanding of where He wants you to go. And whatever you do, determine to represent Him well in whatever situation you find yourself. When the day is over, you’ll feel that deep done core contentment that you are right where God wants you to be.
More from Karen Wingate
Redeeming the Time: Making the Most of Our Moments
Who Needs a Good Word From You?
Faith Training: 3 Active Ways to Build Strong Faith in Jesus
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