Sometimes in life we feel lost.  But just because we feel lost doesn’t mean that we are actually lost.  God is greater than our feelings and knows all things (1 John 3:20).  He knows exactly where we are.  

Before we were born, the Lord knew us and called us (Jeremiah 1:5; Isaiah 43:1).  He knit us together in our mothers’ wombs, and in His book, all our days are inscribed (Psalm 139:13, 16).  He has a wonderful plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11) and has prepared a place for us in our Father’s house (John 14:2).  

On this journey, God is with us.  Even if we feel completely lost, we do not have to fear any dangers for He is at our side (Psalm 23:4).  Jesus said—“I am with you always; yes, to the end of time”—and so He is (Matthew 28:20).  

Like the Psalmist, we may pray, “I am wandering like a lost sheep, come and look for your servant” (Psalm 119:176), and the Lord says yes!  “I myself shall pasture my sheep, I myself shall give them rest . . . I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the injured and make the sick strong.  I shall watch over the fat and healthy.  I shall be a true shepherd to them” (Ezekiel 34:15-16).  “Not one shall be lost, the Lord declares” (Jeremiah 23:4).

On the road to Emmaus, the disciples likely felt lost (Luke 24:13-35).  The Word of God says that their faces were downcast.  They had hoped Jesus would be the one to set Israel free, but instead, He was handed over to death and crucified and now His body was missing from the tomb.  Although the women had seen a vision of angels who declared Jesus was alive, the disciples were very much unsure what was going to happen.  Jesus came and journeyed with them, and although they did not recognize Him at first, He shared the Scriptures, broke bread, and remained right at their side until their eyes were opened to see Him again. 

Sometimes when we feel lost, we may be overwhelmed by the unknowns of our lives and unsure which way to go.  Perhaps we are bewildered, or really weighed down, by our life circumstances and cannot see any way to reach the destination that we are hoping for.  However, just because we cannot see the way doesn’t mean there is no way.  It simply means we cannot see the way.  But God can, and He has given us instructions to keep us on the right path as we move forward.  

Seek First the Kingdom of God

“Set your hearts on His kingdom first, and on God’s saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well” (Matthew 6:33).  “Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).  “Let your minds be filled with everything that is true, everything that is honorable, everything that is upright and pure, everything that we love and admire—with whatever is good and praiseworthy” (Philippians 4:8).

At times, our hearts and minds are not set on God’s Kingdom and the things above.  Sometimes the devil leads us to places where we should not be.  When this happens, we can remember and follow the example of the prodigal son.  He made a decision—“I will leave this place and go to my father”—and then he carried it out—“He left the place and went back to his father” (Luke 15:18, 20).  Over and over again, no matter what happens, we have to return to the Lord and never give up.

Live the Day in Prayer and Service 

Live the day.  We do not have to live in worry about the future or rumination about the past but can focus our attention on the opportunities the Lord has given us to seek Him, know Him, serve Him, and love Him today.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, this is the very purpose of our lives—“at every time and in every place, God draws close to man.  He calls man to seek Him, to know Him, to love Him with all his strength.”  

We almost always have the opportunity to pray and serve each day.  As St. Paul encourages us, “the Lord is near.  Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5-7).  When we pray through the Scriptures, the Lord gives us an especially deep peace.  We are also called to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:28; John 13:14-16).  “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35). 

Each day will present a cross to carry (Luke 9:23) and enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34), but the Lord will also give us our daily bread (Matthew 6:11), feeding, nourishing, and sustaining us.  Remember that “none of the trials which have come upon you is more than a human being can stand.  You can trust that God will not let you be put to the test beyond your strength, but with any trial will also provide a way out by enabling you to put up with it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).  If living the day is too overwhelming, we can live the present moment instead.  St. Gianna Molla beautifully said that “the secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day.”

Remember the Promises and Faithfulness of God

We have to keep reminding ourselves and one another of the promises and faithfulness of God.  We can take Abraham’s faith as our model.  “Counting on the promise of God, he did not doubt or disbelieve, but drew strength from faith and gave glory to God, fully convinced that whatever God promised he has the power to perform” (Romans 4:20-21).  

We can be tempted to believe that our peace depends on whether we are able to see exactly how God’s plan is going to unfold in our lives, but this is not true.  Instead, we can pray for the grace to be patient in the uncertainties of our humble state (Sirach 2:4).  With Thomas, we may ask, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way,” and Jesus will lovingly respond to us also, “I am the Way; I am Truth and Life” (John 14:5-6).  

So let us keep stirring each other up with reminders (2 Peter 1:12-13) of the goodness of our Lord, the One in whom we have put our trust (2 Timothy 1:12):

• “God works with those who love Him, those who have been called in accordance with His purpose, and turns everything to their good” (Romans 8:28; Genesis 50:20).  

• Kindness and faithful love pursue us every day of our lives (Psalm 23:6).  

• God’s Word will not return unfulfilled or before having achieved what it was sent to do (Isaiah 55:11).  

• “For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nothing already in existence and nothing still to come, nor any power, nor the heights nor the depths, nor any created thing whatever, will be able to come between us and the love of God, known to us in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

May the Lord bless each of you!

“I give them eternal life; they will never be lost, and no one will ever steal them from my hand” (John 10:28).