As I write this post, I’m preparing to graduate from college. I had four lovely years at a college where I met new friends, found a church that felt like home, and led a discipleship group of six awesome gals. I attended many memorable student events, played keyboard for campus chapel services, and tutored an awesome girl named Lexi. I used the word “community” way too much, I sat in local coffee shops as I watched people interact, and I discovered my favorite local restaurants in town. I enjoyed being at college.
But now I must return to my actual home—in the brand-new territory called adulthood—and I’m not ready.
I’m Not Ready for Adulthood
Obviously, I’ve missed my family while I’ve been at college and I’m excited about getting to spend more time with them once I graduate. But after living the last four years of my life in a bubble—also known as college—I don’t know if I’m ready to step into adulthood. The rules in adulthood aren’t as clear as they are in college. I’m dreading the job hunt, the church hunt, the friend hunt, and the guy hunt (or lack of the guy hunt, ahem).
I already miss college. I’m not ready to graduate.
But maybe I don’t have to feel ready. Maybe I don’t have to feel anything. Maybe I just have to do something. In fact, maybe we shouldn’t be so worried about feeling ready. Maybe we just need to do the next right thing.
Perhaps you’re thinking about something you’re not ready for. Maybe you’re not ready to start a new job, go back to church, start a family, or begin a relationship. Maybe you’re not ready to talk to a certain person, move to a certain place, return to a certain ministry, take a certain class, or lead a certain group.
Go. Stay. Try. Wait. Teach. Learn. Show. Watch. Do!
Maybe it’s time to rip off the Band-Aid—the Band-Aid that’s labeled with the words “You’re not ready. You can’t do this. You shouldn’t even bother.”
Actually, that’s not a Band-Aid; that’s Satan. He wants you to forget about God’s purpose and plan. Satan would rather you stay in your little bubble for your whole life than explore the world outside your bubble. But God often works beyond our little bubbles.
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen .(Hebrews 13:20-21 NASB)
I could stay in my cozy little dorm room and eat Teddy Grahams forever, but I can’t do much for God while I’m cramming for exams or rushing to classes.
If God wills for us to do something, He will make a way for it to happen. Then we must choose to walk that way. He provides people for us to work with and opportunities for us to work in. That’s how we learn to obey Him—when we take those opportunities and work with those people.
Maybe we should spend less time wondering if we’re ready and more time wondering if we’re following where God leads. Don’t listen to Satan when he says that you can’t do it and you’re not prepared. Listen to the One who says He will prepare you for the challenges ahead. He’s making us ready.
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This post is a throwback to a post that I wrote in early 2018 as a college freshman. I made changes to the original post to make it clearer and more applicable to my current stage of life. Now, as a college senior who’s nearing graduation, I can look back at the last four years of my life and see how God was working.
I was a nervous wreck about college, and now I’m a nervous wreck about adulthood. But He carried me through four difficult-but-totally-worthwhile years of college, and He will carry me through the upcoming transition period from college to adulthood. And whatever stage of life you’re in, He will carry you through, too.
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