I'll start by stating the obvious. I don't have an answer for your question. I know you know that. What I can do is share a little story. Us old people do that. If I go on too long, sit me in a rocker and put a blanket on me. I'll fall asleep.
OK. Here is what I wanted to share.
When I was in university I didn't think too far into the future. I started at 17 and studied biblical studies to become a missionary. Road blocks came fast and furious and in order to avoid a much longer story, it didn't turn out being what I was supposed to do.
I ended up with a History major/English minor and not a clue what I should do. It was a Christian university and I will be honest, I thought I'd be married and doing some sort of ministry work. Well suddenly I found myself graduated at 21 with not a clue. I knew I wanted to help people and realized that I had no clear direction. Yes I know. So far I do not look like anyone who should give advice. Hold on.
I ended up working in hospitals as a unit clerk and an admitting clerk. I worked graveyard shifts, often on weekends. I remember being called girl and wondering what had been the point of the last four years. During this time I'd done a lot of volunteer work with street kids and in the downtown core. How was this what I was meant to do? I didn't need to have degrees for this. I'd wasted so much time and money and it lead nowhere, or so I thought.
One night we had a girl come in by ambulance. She had been savagely attacked and dumped. I was processing the paperwork and I saw an additional person, not in a lab coat, go behind her curtain. I found out that she was the emergency social worker. I remember standing in the middle of the hall unable to move. What was she doing? How was she able to help? What did she know that could make a difference?
The next day I was researching everything i could about medical social work.
In jumping to the end of the story I was accepted into the school of social work, found out my history degree taught me a lot a needed, got my degree and became a medical social worker.
My point? I could not have ended up where I needed to be, I could not have found my calling, if I hadn't taken a route that made no logical sense. I had to be working that shift, that night to see what I needed to see. God led me where I needed to be even if I couldn't see it and the plan took years to happen.
God may bring you through the most unlikely situations and put you in unusual places but sometimes the only way from one place to another is not a straight line. The switchback trails are there for a reason. Don't give up if you don't see the path. He has this. Hugs.