What are you doing with your life?
I hear this all the time. A lot of the time I have somewhat of an idea of what I am doing with my life and I answer the best I can with the most confidence I can muster. The funny thing is I really do not have it all together. I have no idea what I am doing for the rest of my life, let alone what I want to eat for breakfast tomorrow.
I ultimately hate that question,”What do you want to do with your life?” I know people mean well when they ask, or professors try to make you contemplate your future, which both are not wrong, but it stresses you out if you are a “planner” like myself.
Here’s the thing. Nobody has it figured out.
Rich people, poor people, old and young people, nobody truly knows exactly where they are headed in life. We have an idea, and we can plan all we want but i guarantee you that plans will change. A family member may pass away, or you will move to a new city for an unexpected job offer, or God may call you to the mission field.
You never really will know what will happen next.
That is stressful.
But I have news for you. You do not need to know, but to trust. Trust in the One who DOES know what will happen next. He DOES know the best job for you. He DOES have the best spouse for you.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Maybe it isn’t about having it all figured out but rather trusting in a God who does.
Maybe the life that God has picked out for you is better than you could hope and imagine, but you have no idea because it doesn’t quite look so pretty looking from the outside and just maybe God knows you better than you know yourself.
So trust.
Trust that He knows what He is doing, and give him control.
Stop worrying about that business deal. Stop worrying about what your neighbors think of you, or what career will land you that perfect life with that perfect wife. Honestly, it’s all vanity.
Solomon, the son of David and King of Jerusalem at the time wrote, “And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.” Ecclesiastes 1:13-14.
The Hebrew term hebel, translated vanity or vain, refers concretely to a “mist,” “vapor,” or “mere breath,” and metaphorically to something that is fleeting or elusive.
As people are we really striving after things that are fleeting and elusive? That is so much effort and energy wasted. It would be so much more rewarding to work to fulfill His will for your life. There is such peace in that.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”Philippians 4:6-9.
I am not saying that working for a great job that makes awesome money, and having a hot wife is wrong. Those are great things. But God often puts desires in our hearts for a reason. Just make sure to align them with the gospel and with God’s plan for your life, and you will find unshakable peace.
The Caffeinated Nomad 