Being college students in today's culture isn't easy; we all know that. It is hard for a multitude of reasons surrounding academic and social life that I'm sure you are all aware of. As I have grown stronger in my faith and closer to God as college progressed, I have learned that, just like everything else, it's equally as hard, if not harder. It's hard because people on the outside judges Christians based on the view they have of "people like us" and unfortunately, that's one thing college students are great at it.
Typically, this stigma stems from those folks simply not knowing who we are, what we stand for or who God is, for that matter. Usually they don't care what we have to say about our faith and anything behind it and that is fine. I'm not here to force people into believing things they don't want to. Do I believe their life would be better than they ever could imagine with Christ? Absolutely. However, that's not up to me and God will work in their lives as time progresses and do with it as He sees fit. Even so, it doesn't mean it's always to live up to the standards we have, as Christians, and those we know the Lord has for us. To continue to make all the decisions we know will glorify God, all the time, is an ongoing struggle. Especially with so many different influences and people around us all the time in a college setting, it's a constant battle. Each moment, day, week, month brings challenges in which we are forced to decide whether to listen to God's call begging us to make the choice we know is right or listen to that other voice that is pulling us in the opposite direction. Thankfully, however, we aren't called to be perfect. We are called to strive to be, but our shortcomings are forgiven.
As a whole, Christianity and keeping the faith is one of the toughest things we will ever do, but at the same time it's also the easiest. Each day we do our best to remain in our faith and make the hard decisions that we know are right, which is made even harder with all the pressures that surround us during this period of our lives. Life throws things at us that at sometimes seem unbearable and we often wonder, "Why is God doing this? Why me?" However, it's also the easiest because with a few simple words that slate is wiped clean and we are forgiven. It's hard to imagine that God will forgive us for anything and everything that we or anyone will ever do. But we have an amazing God for so many reasons and He tells us that it is that simple. Does this mean we should continuously sin in the same ways, even though we know it's wrong? No. However, that's what makes this concept so hard. We, as Christians, typically know the difference between right and wrong before we make decisions, but we continue to make them over and over. So what does He think about those choices? And to that, I don't have an answer. It's something I am currently working through in my relationship with God and those around me who have the same love for their faith as I do. However, that's why our relationship with God is ever-changing. We are always striving to get closer to Him and get better, but when we mess it up, as we always do, we move on, as He tells us, and continue in our faith walk to get to where we hope to be one day.
The best thing that I have done is try to surround myself with those who will support me in my faith and lead me to make the right decisions,which are usually the harder decisions, more often. When you have the love and encouragement of others who believe and think about God in a similar way, it makes it so much easier to make those God glorifying, heart warming decisions. He has a way of leading us to those people that are going to be beacon's in our life and bringing us into relationships, over time, with those who will work with us to grow in our own faith and us with theirs. I want to leave you with a Bible verse. It has been my baseline and my go-to lately whenever I find myself in a difficult situation or struggling to make the Godly decision in whatever choices this crazy life throws my way.
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. —Titus 2: 7-8
**For more bible verses that help me through college see "8 Bible Verses For When College Is Getting The Best Of You."
