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Time to Make Some Decisions

May 10, 2021

The end of the semester is here, and it is time to take the next step, but what should that next step be? Many of you may be walking across the stage as a graduate next week, or you may be like me – about to head into your final semester and starting to think about what you are going to do after you graduate from Liberty. Figuring out what to do next can be stressful, nerve-wracking, and exciting all at once. It is the time to think about what kind of life we want to live and who we want to be.

Many of us ask God to show us what we should do next. Often, we want Him to give us some kind of supernatural experience; we want God to shine a bright light directly onto the job we should apply for, the city we should move to, or the person we are supposed to marry in a way so obvious that we cannot possibly miss it. While I must admit that this kind of very clear instruction would be really nice, it does not often happen this way. We also often want to have direction for our entire lives. Everyone wants to have a 5-year plan. But how can we know where we will be in 5 years if we haven’t even decided where to go tomorrow?

As much as we want the path for our lives to be obvious, most of the time it’s not, and that can be discouraging and stressful. A lot of stress comes from a fear of making the wrong decision. Many believers experience this fear because of their sincere desire to be obedient to God. One way that we can be obedient to God is by not being anxious or worried about anything, including making decisions.

As we all walk down the path of decision making together, I would like to share with you some of the advice that some very wise people in my life have shared with me.

The first thing we can do is to remember that God has already told us what His will is for our lives. If you are wondering what God’s will is for your life, you can look to Scripture. In Luke 10:27, Jesus gives the Greatest Commandment which says, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Then, before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave the Great Commissionsaying, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” These two verses and commandments from Jesus show us what the will of God is for our lives, that we love God, love others, and that we make disciples who follow Him. No matter where we live or work, this should be our highest priority in how we live.

The second thing to remember is that we do not need to arrive at our dream job and live in our dream home right after college. These things take time and experience to achieve. Remembering this helps to take the pressure off of ourselves. Instead of looking for your dream job right out the gate, look for jobs that will help prepare you for that job later on. There is so much to learn along the way.

Lastly, know that if you are seeking the Lord and obeying Him that He will guide your steps. He will open doors and closed doors and give you opportunities to serve Him right where He wants you. But, we have to take the first steps in faith, if it is where you are meant to be, the Lord will make it happen, and if it is not, He will remove that opportunity from you. This is even shown in the life of Paul as he traveled on his missionary journeys. He would make his plans and prepare to go to one place, and the Holy Spirit would either allow him to go there, or he would redirect Paul to go elsewhere. You do not need to be anxious about making the wrong decisions because the Lord will direct you as you go.

I am walking down this path with you of trying to figure out what is next in life. It’s exciting because of the whole world of opportunities, but it also can be scary. You are not alone; your fellow graduates are in the same boat. So, send in that job application, ask someone on a date, move to that new city that has caught your eye, and while you are there, love God, love the people around you, and make disciples. The most important thing you can do is to be obedient to Him. If God has given you a specific direction to go, then be obedient to Him and know He will be with you. If you don’t know what to do next, just take the next step in faith as He will guide you and know that He will be with you.


 

Written by: Sarah Day

Sarah is a junior majoring in Youth Ministry. Sarah enjoys writing for the blog because she loves exploring the ways that the simplest things in our lives impact us in the most meaningful ways. She is passionate about connecting with people, talking about what truly matters and baking.