It’s OK not to know. If no one has told you that before, let me be the first. You may have had a plan that seemed perfect, seamless even, and then out of nowhere it fell apart; however, you may have never had a sense of direction and are still desperately searching for some guidance. Regardless of the situation, you are lost. You have no idea what direction your life is going to take and the thought of that is terrifying. Well, life I said before, it’s OK not to know.
Society has molded us to think the opposite, telling us that by the time we graduate high school we need to have a plan in place. We should know where to go to school, what we want to major in, and what exactly we want to do with that degree. Now that expectation is nearly impossible to reach; if you know the answer to even one of those questions by the age of 18 I’m impressed. This insane pressure forces people to make decisions they think are the “smart” move or what is expected of them. But plans fall through, situations change.
Yes, college is about getting a degree, but more importantly, college is about discovering your passion. People shouldn’t be scared to do this because it doesn’t follow the plan they made in high school. It is more important that you discover your passion and graduate in 5 years, than stick with something you don’t love and graduate on time. It’s a lifetime of joy with one extra year of education versus a lifetime full of regret and wishing for more. Don’t be afraid to spend time discerning because in the end, you will end up a happier person.
Not knowing what the future is going to hold is the scariest feeling in the entire world. You feel like you are stuck in some weird limbo and can barely feel the ground beneath you, but I am here to tell you it’s OK. Look no further than the Bible for comfort during these times of despair.
Let go of your expectations. Proverbs 19:21 states,
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
God’s plan is bigger than your plan. He has so many wonderful things in store for you, you need only to let go.
Let go of your insecurities. Philippians 4:6-7 exclaims,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Not knowing the future will give you many insecurities, possibly even causing you to resent those around you to seem to have it all planned out. Instead turn to the Lord in prayer, petition and thanksgiving and God will take care of you.
Let go of all of your anxieties. Matthew 6:31-33 says,
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
God will take care of you. Turn your trust to the Lord and he will provide. God hears your prayers, He knows your needsp; have peace knowing that God understands and will be with you always.
I am happy now to feel some sense of security with the current plan I have for my life, but the journey I took to get here was no easy battle. I have technically had 7 majors declared from start to present, and I have spent countless hours in prayer to get to this place. I remember exactly what it felt like to be lost and scared with no obvious direction to take, and even now, I sometimes still feel this way. I understand that there are somethings I will never be able to plan for or know, but I find comfort in Christ knowing that His plan is greater than I could ever imagine. No matter what phase of life you are in, whether you are about to graduate high school, currently attending college, graduating college, or even well into your adult life, sometimes life sends you curve balls that cause you to reevaluate your life. It may seem scary or even hopeless, but just remember it’s OK not to know.
