As of exactly one month (and a day) ago I became an alumna of Bowie State University! I am thoroughly relieved and proud that I was able to obtain the grace, and mental capacity, to finish school. The last two years were quite challenging for me. It wasn't necessarily the work (until the last semester), but just that my relationship with God was being tried. Sometimes it seemed as if my responsibilites and stresses were going to overtake me. In those times, though, I simply turned to God and asked for HIS wisdom for school work, money for gas, books, or whatever my need was, and patience to finish all of the tasks He had given me. Whoo! It was tough but I am so much stronger than I was before!
So maybe you feel overwhelmed with the things you have going on in your life. I challenge you, go to God. He truly hears you and cares about you. The Bible tellls us in Hebrews 4:15-16 (and I am paraphrasing) that Jesus himself felt every feeling, temptation, frustration, and heartache that we feel today. Remember, He was fully human at the time He was walking the Earth. He was holy, sanctified, and sinless. Yet, He still had to deal with the day-to-day humanly things we deal with. The Bible goes on to say that we can come boldly to God in the time of trouble and find grace and mercy to help us in our times of need. Take that advice! You don't have to say some fancy prayer. Just ask God for help as if your were talking to your mom or best friend. God cares for you in the same way, and even more, than they do. God is anything you need Him to be...considering it is a part of His character :)
Back to my main point lolol! So, I've graduated and I was happy...or at least for a few hours I was. Basically the spirit of fear and doubt and just overall concern for my future began to oppress me. Not to mention, I was about to have a birthday. And I was like, "OMG I am getting old!" But like my mother always says, "You can live to be old , or die young." So I chose the latter. Anyway, it was just hard to digest everything that was happening. The world's rules tell us that we go to college to get a job and support a family, for whom we provide super nice things. All this, in the failing economy that CNN reminds us of like EVERY 30 MINUTES! lol. I am not coming against CNN because they will probably be offering me a job someday :) My point is this: the world says one thing, but the Kingdom says another. Yes, the Bible says if we don't work, we don't eat. But, if the rules for college graduates barely works for the unsaved person, what makes me think that it would work for me?
The struggle for me was trusting God. I was the book worm all my life. I found solice and feelings of productivity and pride when I was in school. All of a sudden that was taken away and I began to question my purpose. "Hello, Ashley?!" I said to myself like 2 weeks after graduation, "Is school your destiny and identity? Or is God in charge of showing you where you ought to be and who you are?" I obviously had an answer to my question (or else I would not be writing this post lol). Let's go to the Word (That's surely where I ran to when I couldn't quite pull myself together. So I came out of that depressed state. And let me tell you, that is not a good place to be. Allowing emotions to overtake you steals your joy, your praise and worship to God and just your patience to keep living.). The Word says this in Jeremiah 29:11 AMP:
"For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans of welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."
So God says not to worry about our futures because He already knows the plans He has for us. And get this, they are not plans to harm us (even though we feel faint and like we are going to die). They are plans of peace and thoughts that give us hope for our final outcome! Wow! That blesses me. To know that where I m right now, is not my FINAL outcome. How do I know this? Because I am still living! When David was feeling overwhelmed and like he was going to die, he spoke to himself and said, " I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord" (Psalm 118:17). What works was he talking about? God bringing him into his final outcome, purpose, and destination! He would live to give his testimony...as will I. And as you will also.
I know that I am getting in a little deep with this. But, stick with me. Because no matter how young you are, you have the power to speak encouraging words to yourself. The encouragement you need is not always going to come from a friend or family member. That's why it is important to read the Bible so that we will know what God says to us, and about us, in times of trouble. This, however, is another topic for another day :)
Even though I am in no better shape than I was right after I graduated, my faith in God has increased tremedously! I have been able to use this time off to get to know Him and hear Him. If I were working somewhere or just being busy, I don't think I would be as close to God as I am now. So, consider this, when you feel like you ar getting left behind in life, maybe God is trying to get your attention. He likes to talk to us and get to know us...if we will give him the time of day (also another topic for another day :) When we compare our lives and progress to that of others, it is tiring!
See, God has given each of us our own path to trod, our own race to run. Think about it. Wouldn't it be rough trying to run a 5K race for yourself and a friend in the same day, and at the same time? Yes! That's 10K. But, in actuality, it would be impossible to run the race for yourself and another person at the same time because YOU are YOU. Not two people. What I am saying is this, stop comparing your progress, personality, strengths, weaknesses, financial status, ownership of a car, etc...to everyone else. It will kill your self esteem and make you feel like a failure. If you are saved and are living holy and obediently before God, YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH! Keep at it. Don't give up!
The bottom line is this, no matter what the companies say about job qualifications, no matter what colleges say about acceptance requirements, no matter what boyfriend dumps you, no matter what girlfriend cheats, no matter what your past sins are, no matter how many people in your family have never gone to school, no matter how many people in your family have had children out of wedlock, etc... You get the picture. Whatever odds SEEM to be against you, know this, "the steps of a good man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]" (Psalm 37:23 AMP). Pay close attention to which words are capitalized. It tells you who the scripture is referring to. In short, when you please God, He occupies His time ordering your steps. Making sure He leads you in the right direction. Wheew! Isn't that a HUGE weight off your shoulders? That you don't have to plan your every step. You only have to listen and follow your heart and God will lead you. It's like being the passenger in a car. You aren't, and don't have to be, in control. It's up to the driver to get you where you need to go. Great stuff! God is in control.
So remember these points:
1. God is ALL you need Him to be in your times of trouble. I have learned that He is Jehovah Jireh (The God who Provides).
2. He has a specific plan for each of our lives. Don't compare your progress that of others. Comparing will just discourage you because you werent created to walk their path.
3. Don't allow the rules of the world to make you fear. God owns the world and He can make ways for you to get to your final outcome!
4. God delights in your purpose. He will reveal it in due time! Just relax and enjoy the ride :)
Love You All. Be Encouraged! And know that someone is praying for you!
Ashley
P.S. If you want me to address a specific topic. Please comment. I am here for YOU!!
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