Sometimes life doesn’t unfold in neat categories. Plans fall through, outcomes aren’t clear, and we’re left holding the tension of what feels uncertain. We often want answers in black or white, right or wrong, but much of life happens in the in-between.
It’s in these gray spaces that God often does His deepest work. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” When our plans change, it’s not always about success or failure. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about trusting God with the middle ground.
Gratitude becomes the practice that steadies us here. It helps us notice that even in the half-formed, unplanned, or uncertain moments, there is still good. Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard. It helps us see God’s hand at work in the midst of it.
A Porch Reflection ✨
Think about a time when things didn’t go exactly right—or exactly wrong. Maybe it was simply different than you planned. With hindsight, can you see a blessing that came through the “middle ground”?
Sometimes it’s not about labeling the moment—it’s about learning to hold it with open hands and a thankful heart.
“Lord, teach me to let go of needing every answer to be black or white. Help me to rest in the gray places, trusting that You are guiding me even there. Grow in me a spirit of gratitude, so I can see Your presence in both the planned and the unexpected. Amen.”
Where in your life right now do you feel caught between black and white? How does gratitude shift the way you see that space?
The Prayer Porch 