Grace for the Misaligned
Parable
Elara had a vision of a bright star circling in the sky, tracing a perfect loop. Two points on its orbit glowed like markers—almost as if the star itself refused to move forward until those two moments were completed. She sensed that heaven was waiting for something, though she didn’t yet know what.
Later that day, Elara found herself at an upscale rooftop gathering. It was daytime, but tension stirred in the crowd like a storm waiting to break. She stepped away for a moment and noticed a framed photo of a man in a white suit—Seren, a friend of a friend—sitting tall in a chair that looked more like a throne. She didn't know why, but the image stayed with her.
Soon the scene shifted, and she stood in a wide open field bordered by angled rows of chairs. A woman approached with a pack of six puppies. At a single command they all hurried together and lay down, perfectly synchronized. The trainer wrapped one leash around the entire circle of dogs, pulled it gently, and the puppies tightened together in obedient unity. The crowd marveled.
Then came a second pack—mixed sizes this time. When the trainer wrapped the leash around them, the smallest ones lowered easily, but one large dog lifted off-balance, its leg nearly dangling because the pack stood at uneven heights. Someone placed that leash in Elara’s hands.
“Lead them along the fence,” the trainer said. “Keep the crowd undisturbed.”
But the moment Elara began walking, the pack dashed diagonally straight through the center of the seated audience. She lifted the long leash above everyone’s heads, apologizing as she followed the unruly pack. Instead of anger, the people laughed kindly at the unexpected chaos. When she finally reached the back of the field, she realized she was now on the opposite side from the group she came with—and darkness had fallen.
Ahead stood a line of men seated near rusted old trucks. The air felt off, almost eerie. Elara paused, tightening her grip on the leash. She felt her right foot sink into something soft. First she thought it was mud, then maybe an ant bed as a tingling sensation crept across her skin. But as she looked down again, she realized she had stepped into piles of manure scattered across the field. She wasn’t even dressed for the terrain—no boots, just thin flats from the earlier event she’d attended.
She sighed, steadying herself.
“Well… I’ve come this far,” she whispered. “I might as well keep going.”
Devotional
This parable shows us that life rarely hands us neat, identical “packs” to lead. Some seasons are like the obedient puppies—everything lines up, people cooperate, circumstances fall into place. Other seasons, however, are like the mismatched dogs: uneven, unpredictable, and affected by pressures that lift things off-balance.
Sometimes God places in our hands a responsibility we didn’t ask for, and the path we’re told to take feels orderly—“walk along the side, don’t disturb the crowd”—yet suddenly life cuts right through the middle of everything, forcing us to navigate tension, visibility, and unexpected eyes watching.
But notice this: the people in the crowd respond with grace. They laugh, not in mockery, but in understanding. Heaven often covers us even in the moments we feel most clumsy, most off-course, or most exposed.
Ending up on the other side of the field represents seasons where God separates us from the familiar—not as punishment, but as repositioning. Darkness falling doesn’t mean danger; it simply means transition. A new phase is beginning.
And the manure on Elara’s foot? That’s the reminder that obedience sometimes means stepping into messes we didn’t create, in shoes we didn’t plan to wear. But once you’ve trusted God this far, stepping forward—despite discomfort—is an act of faith.
The star in orbit reminds us: God has already marked your next season with two divine checkpoints. Nothing will release until the right moments align. But once they do, the orbit will break, and forward motion will come.
Reflection
Where in your life are you leading something that feels uneven or unpredictable?
Where do you sense God repositioning you?
Where are you stepping into “mess” but still moving forward?
Prayer
Lord, give me grace to lead what You’ve placed in my hands—even when it feels misaligned.
Steady me when the path changes and strengthen me when I step into difficult places.
Keep me discerning, courageous, and faithful as You align the next season of my journey.
Amen