I’ve always struggled with what I wanted to be when I grew up. Even now, when I hear high-school students discussing future career choices, I giggle and say “Ha! I still don’t know what I want to be.”
Because the truth is, I don’t.
In America today, we put a lot of emphasis on going to college. But college may not be the “right” path for everyone. For some people, it may be wrong.
Life as a college student is stressful. Papers, events, and trying to survive to take up most of the student’s time – no matter their degree. I was an English major and I regularly stayed up all hours of the night to write novellas. My boyfriend, on the other hand, was an engineer who spent time learning codes, designing helpful tools, and attending “science-y” classes.
For the world around us, there may seem to be a big difference in each of the studies, and there was. I cannot and will not do math. Meanwhile, he’d rather do math than write. There is a difference in our fields because there is a difference in what the Lord called us to do.
But often, I found myself wallowing in the idea that his field was “smarter” than mine and I wouldn't ever be able to do anything as important.
This type of thinking can infect the minds of many students. It further tempts us to look away from the unique calling the Lord has placed on our life. And when we aren’t looking for it, how can we find it?
“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
This verse spoke to me during those moments of self-doubt and pity. However, it also showed me that even if I got a degree my main focus was to be on the Lord’s plan for my life and not my own.
Many feel forced or pressured into going to college, when in fact, it isn’t for everybody. The Lord didn’t use a cookie-cutter to make us, so following the cookie-cutter plan for life isn’t going to work.
Maybe college isn’t for you, but missions are.
Maybe college isn’t for you, but a technical job is.
Maybe college is for you, but you don’t know what to do with your degree once you have it.
You see, our job isn’t to map out every inch of our lives. We are to submit to the One on the throne and throw out our understanding. We don’t have to have everything together. We just have to trust the one who does. His will always surpasses our own. Trust Him.
