We live in a society that is very quantitative. We search for our satisfaction in the amount of things we are able to attain; yet we are constantly searching for more. What a conundrum! The “we” I am referring to is the millennial generation that I myself belong to. I myself fall into the conundrum I have previously mentioned more days than I care to admit. The constant need to reach the next goal isn’t a problem or a bad way to live but it can quickly become all-consuming and that is when we have met our defeat.
Recently in conversation with a trusted and beloved friend about what it is like to follow the Lord in college, I was struck with the thought that there are some hidden expectations we as millennial youth not only face in society but also amongst the Christian community. The three that stood out the most and held the most meaning were the idea that if you are not always in your bible then that must mean you have fallen away from the Lord, that everyone who knows the Lord and is actively pursuing Christ should be carbon copies of one another, and lastly the guilt felt when we think we’ve fallen short of the world’s expectations.
Everyday on the drive to school you pop into your favorite local coffee shop, but on one odd day you’re rushing and forget to grab it. Our earthly-minded selves wouldn’t give it a second thought if you missed a day but when it comes to carving out time with the Lord we fear immediate repercussions. By no means am I trying to equate a relationship someone has begun with his or her Savior to a daily cup of joe. But the point I am trying to drive home is that we should constantly be showing ourselves grace. Grace is another one of those ultra churchy words, but it is one that comes with a lot depth and richness that the Savior is dying to pour out. We need to be able to know that we are not defined but what we do or how often we do it but we find our true value and worth in our Heavenly Father. There are definitely days when actively pursuing sanctification is easier than others, but that doesn’t mean that we lose anything if we miss a day or two. Live in the grace that is available today.
We were all made originals, but then why are we all so desperate to be identical in the way we pursue Christ? Every single one of us has been chosen to be unique but something that I’ve noticed a lot recently is that, sadly, we are all trying to be like someone else. Comparison is the thief of joy and don’t think that any other words have reigned more true as I contemplated writing this article. We live in a society where everything is in reach of our fingertips and who we should be is plastered all over the television. But that isn’t who we are called to be. We are more than that, we are perfectly made and created and loved by the Creator. Why is that so hard for us to grasp? I have an idea, if we put in as much time investing and loving ourselves as we do trying to recreate ourselves as other people we would be damn good humans. We all really want the same thing, the problem is as we are trying to reach that goal we get lost looking at what others have going for them. Stop looking in someone elses lane, hoping and wishing you’d be more like him or her; the Lord made YOU just as you are. Live uniquely as you and see how much sweeter and grander life becomes.
It’s human nature to have expectations, we live in a world that defines success by wins and loses. That is not how the Lord works at all. There is nothing on that one of us could do that would make the Lord look at us with disappointment. Daily in our human nature we are going to let people down and people are going to let us down, it is just how the world works. There is a flip side to that though, when the Lord looks at you all He sees is the goodness in you. Rest in that, don’t let the weight of this world bog you down and allow doubt to creep into the small cracks in your heart. Know that the expectations you think you need to live up to are not real or realistic and are just out here to steal your joy.
All this to be said, live in the here and now! Knowing that whatever the world is calling us to be is not who we are! We are fully known and fully loved right where we are, let’s take on a challenge to truly know what that means! I encourage you to know that we are really all in the same place.
