"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way."  Psalm 37:23 

As a child the thing that I enjoyed most about math was that it was based on formulas. I quickly learned that when I applied the formula, I could rest assured that the correct answer was soon to follow. When I became a Christian, I carried this formula-based thought process into my walk with the Lord. As I began to grow as a Christian, I quickly realized that this "school of thought" was not working in this arena. I thought for certain that if I lived right (according to the Word, to the best of my ability), prayed, fasted, read my Word, that everything would be smooth. WRONG!!! This was not the case at all.  Obviously I had not read Psalm 34:19, which states that "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them from them all."

Initially, I believe I was in shock when "doing the right thing" didn't equate to my expected result. When I encountered a trial or setback or if my progress seemed to be moving at a "snails pace", I assumed that I missed hearing God's voice. I didn't realize that was and is all a part of the process.
Romans 8:28 states that "All things are working together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." This includes the good, and the bad ~ the expected and the unexpected for those who love the Lord preordained for us.

Look at the life of Joseph, Jacob's favorite son. At the age of seventeen he received a dream of what his future held, but soon after he shared his dream with his brothers, things took a turn for the worse....in the natural. He went from a pit in the wilderness, to Potiphar's house where his wife accused him of seducing her, to prison, to thirteen years later being appointed as the 2nd in command in Egypt. What a journey! Even though it didn't appear as though each of his steps were purposeful, they were God- ordained, and the scripture states on a number of occasions during Joseph's adventurous life that "God was with Him."

Has the Lord given you a glimpse of what your future holds? Does it appear as though you are in the midst of a "divine detour?" Don't be moved by your current location. Wherever you are is a part of the process. You are on the right path and each of your steps really is leading you directly to your destiny. Rest assured that just as God was with Joseph, He is with you as well. Choose to find joy in the process, rather than discounting it in an effort to hurry to the end result.

Pray and ask the Father to anoint your eyes to see your journey from a new perspective.