How did I get here, if I already knew what I was supposed to do?

There are questions that weigh on the heart more than they seem. And one of them is this:

"How did I get here, if I already knew what I was supposed to do?"

Many of us have the theory. We’ve studied financial principles, learned what the Lord teaches us through His Word, and even applied several things in our lives. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go through a difficult financial season.

It also happens in our spiritual life. Sometimes we go through deserts, moments of confusion, seasons of exhaustion, or times when we simply feel like we’ve lost our direction. And yet, there is always a way out.

The Lord teaches us that every process of restoration begins with recognizing the truth. Spiritually, by recognizing sin. Financially, by recognizing where we made mistakes, where we made poor decisions, where we became disorganized, or where we stopped trusting. Not to punish ourselves, nor to fill ourselves with guilt, but to start again.

It’s not time to judge yourself, it’s time to understand

If you are going through a crisis today, the first thing I want to say is this: it is not time to destroy yourself from within. It is time to pause and look honestly.

How did I get here? What decisions led me here? What things were out of my control? What is the Lord trying to teach me in the middle of this?

Sometimes we want to rush to fix everything immediately, but before running, we need to understand. Remember when you took your financial Bible study, or if you haven't been able to live it, you can think of a different time in your life. You were probably in a complex situation then. Maybe even worse than now. Or perhaps you saw other brothers and sisters go through difficult processes and come out stronger.

That means something important: there is a way out. And many times, that way out is not in taking on more debt, nor in desperate shortcuts, nor in chasing quick promises. The way out begins by asking with humility: What can I do today?

Like in the story of the widow and the oil, the question was not how much she lacked, but what she already had at home. Brother, sister… what do you have in your house today?

Remember who you are

In times of crisis, it is easy to feel like failures. To think we are a mess. That everything went wrong. That we are not capable of managing things. But that is not true.

You are not your debt. You are not your mistake. You are not this difficult moment. You are still a steward of what God has placed in your hands. And when we remember that, our perspective changes.

There are things that are your responsibility: organizing, reviewing, working, knocking on doors, asking for help, acting wisely. And there are things that belong to the Lord: opening paths, sustaining you, giving you peace, showing you opportunities, and doing what you cannot do today. Do your part. Rest in the fact that He will do His.

The humility of asking for help

Some people are overwhelmed not because of lack of ability, but because they try to carry everything alone. Recognizing that we need help does not make us weak. It makes us wise.

Seek counsel. Seek a helping hand. Seek that person you know can guide you with love and truth. Maybe a facilitator, a priest, a mature couple, a brother or sister in community, someone who has walked similar paths. God often answers our prayers through people close to us. Do not close the door to that.

Even in crisis you can still give

There is something beautiful in the human heart: when we give, we are also filled. And this applies even in difficult times.Maybe today you cannot give much financially. That’s okay. But we are still called to give Time, Talent, and Treasure. If today treasure is limited, maybe it is a season to offer more time, more service, more availability, more listening, more hands.

I remember seasons when my income was minimal, almost symbolic. And in that time I understood I could still be generous in other ways. I could serve, accompany, help, be available. And many answers came precisely there. Because when we give ourselves, the Lord often speaks to us through others. And the greater the desert, the clearer His voice can be heard.

Work still has purpose

You do not work only to get out of debt, to pay bills, or to earn money. You work for the Lord.

That transforms even the smallest tasks. Looking for a job, starting a business, selling, serving, studying, learning a new skill… everything can become an offering when done with love and faithfulness.

Saving is born even in crisis

I know that talking about saving in the middle of a crisis can feel distant. But it is worth remembering something: crises exist and will continue to exist.

That is why, when this season passes, it will be important to build that emergency fund that today might have brought relief.

And even now, if you can set aside even a very small amount, do it. Sometimes it is not about the amount, but about beginning to restore order. Small things, with consistency, also change stories.

This too shall pass

I want to remind you of something simple but very important: this too will pass. The crisis is not your identity; it is a season. No matter how hard it is, it will not last forever.

Do what is your responsibility today. Do not carry tomorrow ahead of time. Do not try to solve your whole life this week. Just take the next right step… and then another.

Write what you are living

I truly encourage you: write down what you are going through.

Write what is happening. What you feel, what you are learning, what you fear, what you are grateful for. Write about open doors, those “small” miracles that sometimes seem like coincidences but you know are not. Write also about the times you thought you would not make it… and in the end, you did.

Many blessings are forgotten because we do not record them. And many crises are wasted because we do not learn from them. We go through pain, we suffer it, we pass through it, but then we move on without stopping to see how we got there, how we got out, and how the Lord sustained us through it all.

It happens to me too, and it helps me greatly to have important things written down. Coming back later to read what happened, how I felt, what seemed impossible, and what the Lord did strengthens my faith. It reminds me that if He was there before, He will be there again.

Do not lose sight of eternity

I know that when resources are lacking, it is hard to think of something bigger. The urgent speaks loudly. Bills, debt, uncertainty… all of that takes up too much space in the mind and heart.

But do not forget this: our life is not limited to this material moment.

Everything we experience, the good and the hard, the clear and the confusing, is part of a greater process. The Lord also works in us when we do not understand anything. He shapes character. He heals wounds. He orders priorities. He teaches dependence. He reminds us what truly matters.

We are eternal beings living a temporary season. And even if we do not fully understand it, this trial can also draw us closer to heaven.

Processes of love

A close friend of mine, a man deeply faithful to the Lord, was also one of the people I have seen suffer the most in this life. Among many trials, he even experienced the loss of his firstborn son as a teenager.

And yet, in the middle of his crises, he always told us:

“These processes I call processes of love.”

I never forgot that phrase. Because only someone deeply united to God can look at pain that way.

Hopefully, in the middle of your trial, you can discover that even here the Lord still loves you. And that although you may not understand anything today, perhaps you are simply going through a process of love.

Compass Catholic is family

If you are going through a financial crisis today, please do not isolate yourself. Reach out. Ask for help. Come closer.

Compass Catholic is not just a Bible study. It is family. And family is meant to support one another, hold each other up, and walk together, especially in difficult times.

Allow yourself to be loved not only by the Lord, but also by your brothers and sisters who care about you and may be waiting for you to let them help.

And if you are steady today, and you know someone in need, or someone comes to you in crisis, make sure you are an instrument of God. An instrument of love, compassion, listening, and guidance.

Sometimes a sincere conversation changes the course of a life.

If you need help, seek it this week. Do not keep postponing it. If you know someone in crisis, reach out.

If you are in peace today, prepare wisely for future seasons. Get organized, learn, save, grow.

And if you are in the middle of the desert today, remember this:

You are not alone. You are not defeated. It is not over here.

The Lord is still working. And often, when we see it least, He is already opening the way.