What Felt Like Collapse Became Correction | Michelle Labadie

There was a season where it felt like everything was unraveling at once. Some of it came from choices I made—trusting people I knew deep down I shouldn’t have trusted. Some of it came from the wounds and actions of others. Hurt has a way of multiplying when hurt people are involved.

In what felt like a matter of days, my husband lost his job, we lost the place we called home, and our family was suddenly depending on others just to get by. Even in the refuge we were given, tension followed us. Relationships were strained, emotions were high, and eventually we had to move back to our home state.

I felt panic. Anger. Defeat. I felt like we had failed as parents. There were moments I didn’t know what to do except praise God for what He was still providing, even when I couldn’t understand what He was allowing.

The shift began when family helped bring us home and gave us a place to land. Distance from a place God was not calling us to brought clarity. But even more than a change in location, God met me as I sought Him daily. Through His Word, through prayer, and through people willing to speak truth into my life, He held me together.

What I thought was collapse became correction.

Over time, reconciliation came. Forgiveness came. We moved back to Florida stronger than before. My husband found a new career. Our family found peace and purpose again.

And looking back, I can see blessings I could not see then. I got nearly a year of memories with my mom before she passed—time I would have missed had none of this happened.

My “40” felt like loss. But God was working in it all.

My current situation is not my final destination.

If you’re still in your “40,” hold on. Things may feel uncertain, but God is not absent. He is working, even in what feels broken, and His ways are better than ours. There is peace on the other side of surrender.

From the 41 Series

When the flood came, everything familiar disappeared for Noah.

The routines were gone. The comfort was gone. The stability was gone. And for a season, all Noah could do was trust that God still knew where the ark was headed even when he could not see dry ground yet.

I think many of us know what it feels like when life suddenly shifts in ways we never expected. Plans fall apart. Stability disappears. Doors close. And what once felt secure suddenly feels uncertain.

In those moments, it’s easy to assume everything is collapsing.

But sometimes what feels like collapse is actually correction.

Sometimes God lovingly redirects us away from places, patterns, or dependencies we were never meant to build our identity upon. And while those seasons are uncomfortable, they often become the places where our trust in Him grows the deepest.

Noah eventually realized the flood was not the end of the story. God was preserving him through it and preparing him for something ahead.

The same is often true for us.

God’s correction is not rejection.
His redirection is not abandonment.
And the seasons that feel most uncertain are often the very places where He teaches us dependence, trust, and surrender.

Sometimes our “41” begins when we stop clinging to what was and begin trusting God with what’s next.

Scripture Encouragement

• Proverbs 3:5–6

• Hebrews 12:11

• Isaiah 43:18–19

Reflect & Respond

What resonated most with you in Michelle’s story? Why?

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Have there been seasons where life changes or disappointments forced you to trust God differently?

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Looking back, how have you seen God redirecting or shaping you through difficult circumstances?

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What areas of your life do you need to surrender more fully to God right now?__________________________________________________________________________

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Prayer

Father, thank You for remaining faithful even when life feels uncertain or difficult to understand. Help me trust that Your correction and guidance come from love, not rejection.

When plans change or stability disappears, remind me that You are still leading me with wisdom and purpose. Teach me to surrender what I cannot control and trust You with whatever comes next.

Thank You for continuing to guide me through every season.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Share Hope

Many people quietly struggle when life does not unfold the way they expected. As you reflect on Michelle’s story, consider sharing it with someone who may need the reminder that God can still bring purpose, growth, and hope through unexpected changes.