Friday, January 4, 2013

Plans for Me

The other day, I looked down and my eyes happened to fall 'pon the latest "World" magazine, which many of you are familiar with it. I was disturbed. Was it an amazing, inspiring, government-discussing article that caught my eye? Nope. I looked down and saw four digits. "2-0-1-3."

Why was I disturbed?

Because "2013" comes before "2014" and in "2014" I'm going to graduate. Yes, graduate.

I guess it's been such an exciting thought, so far off, so gloriously part of the life I'd always dreamed up when I was younger, that I never really imagined such fantasy ever actually, truly, amazingly being. 'Specially not next year. Next year.

Seeing the numerals "2013" on that magazine cover took my mind back to the "What are you going to do when you grow up?" question that's asked so often as school days progress into late high school years.

To most people nowadays, when graduation comes around, these are examples of the sentiments and questions that are often echoed.

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into place." "Follow Your Dreams." "What do you want to do with your life?"

I find that these are some of the most wrong and selfish questions and things to say. If you seek your own pleasure and happiness alone, you'll  be completely disappointed. Carnal things (you) and carnal pleasures (things that you seek) only last for a little while. Only what's done for Christ will last, only in Him is a thirsty cry from the soul satisfied, and HE provides all the happiness and protection and perfection that you'll ever need.

When your following your own dreams and something goes wrong, who's there to catch you? But when you're following God's loving plan for your life, even though the way is rugged and strewn with hard situations, He's willing to help you.  He's your healer, the one who provides your clothes, your food. He's your comfort and is more than able to do something as "impossible" as "parting the Red Sea" again if necessary.

When I think about the question "What do you want to do with your life?" I don't rattle off  a dream career or even what I want to do after high school. I know that God's plans for me are more wonderful than mine could be, and that He has my best interests in mind. There's peace in knowing I'm in his perfect will - and  I've seen too many broken lives.

I don't "love myself first" because that will all fade into nothingness. I want to "love God first" because He will never fail, holds my future, holds me, and is making provisions for both.

Further than my love for Him, it simply makes sense. God - the creator of amazing, beautiful, dreamy things - is also practical. One can easily see how each "Thou shalt not", or, "Anna, I don't want you to go over "here", protects from temptation and heartache.

By His strength I'll keep waiting on His perfect timing and continue "Trusting in His Mercy" - that's the only way any of us can hold true to Him.

In the mean time, I'm excited to see what He has in store.

1 comment:

Lauralea said...

Graduating is not so bad. Some of the best days of your life come after you graduate. :-) And yes, God's perfect will get you through!