I am amazed and in awe of how fast this life goes. I blink and it is gone!! I remember sitting down 9 months ago to write of what the Lord had done in providing for me to finish school; and now here we are at the end of that same year and in 9 days, I will be walking across the stage and finishing my undergraduate degree. The Lord has done so much in my life and in the lives of those of my friends and family within that breath of but a school year. From things such as a family member passing away, to spiritual warfare, to a boyfriend, to leading a missions team, to injuries, life is full of surprises. And however much life seems like one rollercoaster after another, there is one thing that has remained consistent: the Living God.
God has been so good and so consistent. He never changes and He continues to work in the lives and hearts of His children as they seek to follow Him more closely. If you were to talk with some of my closest friends they would tell you I am not the same person I was 9 months ago, I am not even the same person I was 2 months ago. That is how powerful God is! He changes people from the inside out. Radically and amazingly!! This indeed is our God!! This is our hope!!
As I look back over the past 5 years of attending one college or another, it amazes me how so much our society looks at life as the next thrill, the next vacation, if only I could get through this situation. And if life were just about the easy side where would growth happen? Where would change happen? I heard a quote once by Charles Spurgeon: "Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of." I think this is so true. It is in the midst of the unexpected and hardships of life that show us who we are. It is in those moments, when we stop slow down for once and realize that life isn't about seeking the next vacation or the next break. Life is lived in the moment. In the breaths that you take. In the relationships you have. You came into the world with nothing and you will leave with nothing. Makes the things of the world seem rather trivial and pointless doesn't it? The things of this world can't satisfy and don't last forever. Everything of this world will be gone and in 5 years no one will care whether you got summa cum laude or cum laude. No one. Now I am not saying slacking off is ok. Because ultimately it isn't about the honors, it's the principle behind it. The real question is: Were you faithful? Were you consistent to complete the tasks and responsibilities that the Lord gave? Were you faithful to persevere to the end? Were you faithful in the relationships that you built? Were you faithful to your Savior and God? What motives your desires? Are you so consumed with school that you have to get a 4.0? Are you finding your satisfaction in your GPA? Ultimately life is bigger than that.
So my encouragement to you friends who are still in school is this:
1) be faithful in all things that the Lord has given you responsibility over.
2) rest in the Lord- if you are a control person like me, who has to have their hand in every cookie jar so to speak- reliance on the Lord is critical. otherwise you end of trying to do everything on your own and you WILL fail. You need the Lord's strength and have an attitude of humility about it (recognize that you can't do it on your own and pray for the Lord's strength and grace to help you).
3) Take time investing in solid quality friends that will help you grow in the Lord. These are the friendships you will most likely keep for a lifetime so make the most of it! And invest in the lives of those who are younger than you who can learn from your mistakes and your victories.
4) most important- remember God. He is the one who gives you breath and food and time and friends. He is the one who provided for you to get an education and He is the one who gives you strength and grace for the day to get the job done. It is all about Him and who He is. He should be our ultimate goal, to become more like Him in our walk and in our actions and in the way we treat and react to those around us.
