You are where you’re supposed to be

Everyone is on their own path — learning, stumbling and growing in different areas of life.

It’s easy to look at where someone else is and think, “I should be there too.” But the truth is, comparison steals the beauty of our own journey. Your path was never meant to look exactly like someone else’s, and that’s not a flaw — it’s a gift.

This summer taught me that lesson in a personal way.

Among most of my friends, I was the only single person. They were all kind about it, constantly checking in to make sure I didn’t feel left out or uncomfortable. Honestly, I thought the whole situation was kind of hilarious. I kept cracking jokes about being the “designated single friend,” mostly because there really wasn’t anyone to date back home anyway.

But as the summer stretched on and my friends naturally turned their attention more toward their relationships, I started to question myself. Doubts crept in: Am I really OK? Is something wrong with me? Should I be doing more to prepare for a relationship while I’m single? Before long, I was caught up in overthinking and romanticizing what wasn’t there.

That’s when I realized something important: God had placed me in this season of singleness for a reason. If I had been dating someone, I wouldn’t have had the same freedom to spend time with family, drop everything to help friends move or be emotionally available for people who needed me. What I once saw as a lack was actually an opportunity — an invitation to grow, serve and be present in ways I couldn’t have if my attention had been elsewhere.

And that’s the bigger truth we often forget: whether it’s singleness, career, finances, school or any other area of life, not being “where others are” does not mean you are behind. It simply means your story is unfolding differently. God knows what He is doing with your life. He places you exactly where you need to be — not a step too soon or too late.

So the next time you’re tempted to compare, remember: their path is theirs, and yours is yours. Don’t beat yourself up for not being where they are. Trust that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.