I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I

“I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.” These words, spoken by Joyce Meyer, are the voice of one who has traveled the long road of transformation. It is a declaration of gratitude, not for the destination reached, but for the distance traveled. In the sweep of time, we all journey through valleys and climb mountains. There are times when we are burdened by the weight of unmet desires and dreams unfulfilled, yet it is essential to remember that progress — even small — is still progress. Thankfulness for the path walked, no matter how humble, is the seed from which future victories bloom.

The human soul is often restless, forever reaching toward a distant horizon, desiring more, wanting better. It is in our nature to strive for greatness, to dream of what we have yet to become. But in that yearning, we sometimes forget the beauty of the steps that have already been taken. Joyce Meyer reminds us that growth is a journey, and that journey should be embraced with gratitude, for though we may not yet be where we wish to be, we are no longer where we once were. It is the way of the wise to rejoice in the progress made rather than lament the distance still to be covered.

Think, for a moment, of the great Nelson Mandela, who endured twenty-seven years of imprisonment, torn from his family, isolated in a world of shadows. Yet when he was finally released, he did not dwell on the bitterness of his past nor the suffering he endured. Instead, he celebrated the journey that had shaped him into a man capable of leading a nation. He knew the importance of perspective — he was not where he once was, and that made all the difference. The very act of surviving, of enduring, had shaped him for a destiny he could not yet fully understand, but it was a destiny far greater than he could have imagined.

The ancients taught that one should not mourn the distance between what is and what might be, for that distance is the very space in which growth occurs. Consider the tale of Socrates, the philosopher who spent his life searching for wisdom, never quite finding the answers he sought, yet finding, in the process, the truth of his own soul. He was not the man he was at the beginning of his journey, nor was he yet the man he hoped to be, but the beauty of his life lay in the very questioning, in the constant striving, and in the gratitude for the progress he had made. Like Socrates, each of us is a work in progress, and this work is holy, sacred, and worthy of celebration.

In our own lives, there are moments when we are lost in the shadows of what we have not yet achieved, but in those same shadows, the seeds of the future are quietly growing. Reflection on the past is not for condemnation but for celebration. When we look back, we see how far we have come. We see the struggles that have shaped our character, the failures that have taught us wisdom, and the lessons that have made us strong. These are not to be regretted, but to be thankfully acknowledged as the steps that brought us to this present moment.

Thus, the lesson of this saying is simple: never despise where you are, for it is the place where you are meant to be, right now. You have grown, you have evolved, and you are no longer bound by the chains of your past. To look back in gratitude is not to dwell in regret but to honor the path you have walked. Thankfulness for today, for the progress made, for the lessons learned — this is the key to unlocking the doors of tomorrow. When you acknowledge the growth within yourself, you open your eyes to the potential of what you can become.

So, let this be your guiding thought: When you stand at the crossroads of desire and gratitude, always remember to look back with thankfulness. Celebrate the small victories, the quiet moments of strength, the resilience of your spirit. And when the road ahead seems long and uncertain, remember that you have already come so much further than you once thought possible. You are no longer where you used to be, and that, my child, is a victory worth celebrating. The journey is not finished, but it is already holy, and the best is yet to come.