Coffee & Common Grounds

There are seasons in life when we feel a pull — a direction we’re sure God is nudging us toward. We pray about it. We look that way. We lean that way. Sometimes we even rearrange our hearts around the hope of it. And then… it doesn’t work out.

The door closes.

The opportunity fades.

The relationship shifts.

The outcome disappoints.

And in that moment, we don’t just feel confused — we feel hurt. We start asking quiet questions we don’t want to say out loud:

“Lord… did I miss You?”

“Why would You let my heart lean that way?”

“Where are You in this disappointment?”

David knew this feeling well.

Psalm 34 is David’s voice from a place of deep disappointment — a moment when life had not gone the way he expected, when he felt embarrassed, afraid, and unsure of what God was doing. Yet even in that swirl of emotion, David clung to one truth:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

— Psalm 34:18

David doesn’t hide his hurt. He doesn’t pretend he’s fine. He cries out. He admits his fear. He acknowledges his disappointment. But he also does something holy — he invites God into it.

He says, in essence:

“Lord, stay close to me right here — in the middle of what I don’t understand.”

And God does.

Psalm 34 reminds us that God’s nearness is not dependent on our outcomes. His closeness isn’t tied to whether the path worked out the way we hoped. He draws near because we are hurting, not in spite of it.

So if you’re in a season where the direction you thought God was leading suddenly shifted… if your heart feels bruised from hoping… if you’re questioning what comes next…

Let David’s words settle over you like a warm blanket:

The Lord is close.

The Lord sees.

The Lord hears your cry.

And the Lord will not waste your disappointment.

Sometimes the path we thought was “the way” was only the turning point — the place where God gently redirects us toward something deeper, safer, or more aligned with His purpose.

And just like David, we can say:

“I sought the Lord… and He answered me.”

Psalm 34