Life is hard. Any college student can tell you that much. Heck, pretty much anyone can tell you that much. Some people have it harder than others, but it's really all relative. We have no right to judge how difficult someone's situation is based on how difficult our own situation might be. What we have to remember in these times is there is always a light in dark times- specifically, God.

In John 8:12, Jesus states "I am the Light of the world." Well, you really can't get any clearer than that. The concept of light carries so much hope already-- think "light at the end of the tunnel"-- that adding the idea that Jesus is Light makes it that much more hopeful. Think about how many times light or sunshine are talked about in reference to something good! We need the sun to survive (aka Vitamin D), but we also need the Son to survive (cue Jesus).

Without the hope of light, we are forced into a dark and scary place. There's a very good reason "light at the end of the tunnel" is such an everyday phrase- nobody wants to be in a tunnel forever! No matter how much you like darkness, it's nice to be able to see what's in front of you. In all honesty, sometimes Jesus doesn't let us see what's right in front of us. He has His ultimate plan, and most of the time we can't even imagine how that plan is going to play out. One of the scariest things that I've found is the fact that when something doesn't go how I imagined it would, I have to sit back and say "okay, God. You're in control. I know you have this."

People like being in control. It's why there's such as thing as backseat drivers! We like to have our daily planners and our 10-year plans and our to-do lists- they give us a sense of control. But in reality, God is the one who has the ultimate control. And He has the best plan ever! Seriously, why you wouldn't want the creator of the universe in charge of your life is beyond me.

God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you... plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." That verse is what I hold tight to when hard times roll around. I know with every fiber of my being that God is in control. Regardless of if it's in relation to a political election, an acceptance or rejection letter, or even a possible love interest, God's timing is always perfect, and it's always in perfect harmony with the rest of His plan. We just have to have the courage and the faith to trust Him.