What I Would Say to You
Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalms 46:10
Don’t give up on your dreams. As hard as life gets, it will be the dreams that God has put in your life that will keep you going. God will send people into your life who will encourage you and challenge you. Be wise and learn to recognize them. Many will teach you new things, and encourage you to pursue your dreams. Some will challenge you, but you will learn from them.
Quitting college is painful. But some day they will call you “Doctor.” That title will surprise you because it is totally not what you think it is, but it is no surprise to God. Trust God and be willing to change direction when you sense God telling you. Remember how you loved to help people when you were little? And you loved teaching people. That is a passion that God has placed in you. He will use it once you open yourself up to hearing from God.
You will fail and make some big mistakes. But you will get up and keep going. That process will teach perseverance. Don’t give up. Trust God and know that now matter how many mistakes you make, it will not diminish the love God has for you. Perfection is impossible to attain and has the potential to leave you empty. Excellence is possible and the growth that comes from striving for it is the manifestation of God working in you.
Enjoy the journey and, when it takes a new twist you didn’t expect, remember God is wooing you. He does this so you will learn to trust his voice and direction. When loss comes into your life it will feel like someone dropped a one hundred pound rock on your chest. Take time to fully feel the pain. Don’t be too quick to get through it. Your head will be ready to move much sooner than your heart. The heart is what God wants to heal. And that takes time.
Trust him. Give him the pain. Scream at him and then be still. Learn to be still and know that he is God.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: We are created as human beings, yet many of us have earned a degree is living as human doings. What does be still mean to you?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for helping me sense your voice in the still times. Help me to be still more and to trust you to do that which concerns me. Amen.
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A Letter to My Younger Self
One of God's great gifts to us is wisdom from those who have walked the road before us. Our elders offer deep insights into navigating the seasons of life, and when we take time to listen, they offer valuable strategies for leading from the soul. One day, with the Lord's blessing, we will all find ourselves entering a season of retirement, perhaps complete with grand-parenting, and soaking up years of grace.
How will we arrive at those years, and how can we plan now to live well in that season of life? We've asked a few friends to help us think forward in this series, A Letter to My Younger Self.
Featured image by Ali Edwards. Used with Permission. Source via Flickr.
Do you find it challenging to be a Christian in a competitive workplace? Discover how to enjoy a successful career without sacrificing your soul! Encouraging you to hold firm to your faith in win-at-all-costs corporate environments, Tim Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf help you carry your beliefs from church to job, stay true to your values, make God-honoring choices, and more.