To the One Doubting Your Future

I remember what it feels like to not know the direction of my future. I can vividly imagine the days I spent walking on my family’s dirt path praying about where I would attend college and what I would major in. 

There are so many options and I definitely wanted to have some sort of a life plan. 

As I sit here asking God to give me His words for today’s Monday devotion, I believe He is thinking of you.

If I could have sat down with myself four years ago as I was stressed out over what my future would look like, I would say the following things:

Haley,

Keep walking on the path with Jesus. Keep meditating on His Word day and night. You are doing far more than you know by walking and talking with Jesus daily. Yes, keep praying over your future school, your future husband, your future roommate, and your future career. All of these things intensely matter to God. You are handpicked and chosen by God to do great things in the world for His glory alone. Don’t grow discouraged whenever you only have small feedback from great efforts of love. Keep spreading encouragement and letting your purity be known to all. Keep trusting in God and living according to His timeline and rejecting your own. You are not living according to the world’s standards. God’s story for you is one big grand adventure. Don’t follow the easy route of others. Don’t expect your story to look like the ones around you. Your story is different. 

You will be led by the Lord to walk into a new school your senior year. You will say goodbye to Bethel because you are being led by Jesus. You finished that mission well. You did every task God wanted you to complete.

Senior year will be fun. You will love big and see God close doors that aren’t meant for you. You will find the most joy being filled with Him whenever your own plans fall through. You will be expectant and full of hope. Months later your desires for your own plans will not be fulfilled. You will see God open up doors for you at Pitt that no man could shut. You will see God provide for you in ways that give you leftovers. He will surprise you in opening your chapter at Liberty at a time you were distant to them. Jesus is never done writing your story.

To whoever is reading this, 

God isn’t done writing your story. I often remember that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do His good works prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10)! He will not leave His chosen servants lingering around in a life without purpose or impact. Jesus wants to use your life greatly in ways beyond what your imagination can fathom.

Keep being faithful to Jesus where you are placed. It’s okay to not know the future or even your next step. Read and study Scripture and share the rawest parts of your heart to the Lord in private. He hears every word you utter before Him. You won’t be shaken whenever your life is hidden in Christ. You, as a chosen child of God, are not going to pattern worldliness or always be considered popular. Your treasure isn’t in things that can be stolen or taken away from you. The more you inch closer to the heart of God, the more you will realize that He is your greatest gift and eternal prize. Your Lord sees you. He knows right where you are at. Today has purpose as you live in Him.

Jesus is our Way Maker. That is not just a super cool song. Jesus WILL make a way for you to meet the right people and attend the places He wants you to go. He will not leave you hanging. If you feel like you are in a hall waiting, there is work to do there and people for you to love. God is growing you in the seasons where you would rather skip to the fun parts. He uses hurt and brokenness to teach us the beauty of His hands reshaping our lives.

Are you worrying or doubting over your future?

Look at your feet right now today. This is where God wants you. This is where He is growing you and using you most. Fruit is flowing from your time here. Beautiful things are in the works. The most beauty follows the hardest trials. God is shaping you to look more like Him. He is molding you in these deserts. Don’t give up on the dreams He placed inside of you. He gives you glimpses of the future to seal your heart from hoping into anything less. 

You are extraordinary by God’s grace and by the way you invest your face into His Presence. The Lord is near and He is for you. He holds your world. Nothing is ever a surprise to Him.

The coronavirus won’t stop the plans God has in store for your life. Nothing has and nothing ever will be as strong as our Lord.

Reach out to Him and admit the worries or doubts plaguing you today. You can walk intentionally with a lighter burden.

Love you,

Haley