Introduction (Story)
In 2017, I found myself at a serious crossroads in life. I was deeply confused and exhausted. From the outside, my life looked successful: we had started businesses, some had succeeded, others had collapsed.
At one point, I had even convinced investors to commit millions of dollars to projects I believed in.
But there was a painful pattern
.
Every single time something seemed like it was finally going to work, something would pull it apart. Delays. Conflicts. Closed doors. Sudden losses. It felt as though I was constantly almost there, but never quite arriving.
During this season, I led a group of women intercessors called Soul Garage, and together we decided to go on a 21-day prayer and fasting journey. We were praying about many things, but for me, one question burned louder than all the others.
At the end of the fast, I cried out to God honestly and painfully:
“Lord, why are You doing this to me?
Why won’t You let me succeed?”
The Revelation
God’s response surprised me.
He said:
“This has nothing to do with Me. I love you.”
Then He showed me a picture—a vision I will never forget.
I saw a person trying to climb up a river, pushing against the water with all their strength. It was exhausting. It was painful. It made no sense.
And the Lord said:
“You are working against the grain.
You are walking up the river, instead of flowing with it.”
He explained that the reason everything felt so hard was not because He was opposing me, but because I was fighting the direction He had designed for me.
He said:
“The little success you have had is because of My grace.
Without it, you would not have made it this far.
But if you go with the flow I have set for you, things will be easier.
You will use less energy.
You will enjoy what you are doing.”
The Lesson
This experience taught me an important truth:
Hard work is not always a sign of God’s will.
Sometimes struggle is a sign of misalignment.
Going against the flow leads to:
Constant frustration
Burnout
Emotional exhaustion
Repeated failure despite effort
Going with God’s flow leads to:
Peace, even when work is involved
Clarity of direction
Sustainable success
Joy in purpose
This does not mean life becomes effortless.
It means life becomes purposeful.
Key Takeaway
Many people ask:
“Why is my life so hard?”
“Why do I keep failing even though I try my best?”
“Why does it seem easy for others but not for me?”
Sometimes the answer is not a lack of effort.
Sometimes it is a lack of alignment.
When you move in the direction God designed for you, you stop fighting the current and start being carried by it.
Something to reflect about today
In what areas of your life do you feel like you are “swimming upstream”?
How can you tell the difference between perseverance and misalignment?
What signs might show that you are walking against your God-given flow?
What would it look like for you to pause, listen, and realign?
Closing
I will share what happened after this realization another time.
But today, the lesson is this:
Success is not just about pushing harder.
It is about flowing wiser.