Active in the Unknown

Transitions are uncomfortable. Some days, it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that it has already been five months since I graduated college. The past few months for me have consisted of a series of job interviews, a change in financial responsibilities, and an extreme shift in day-to-day structure. Instead of balancing school, work, and several church responsibilities like I have the past four years of my life, I am now working part-time with no homework (Hallelujah!), no school, and fewer church responsibilities. I am constantly reminded by people I respect that I should embrace and enjoy this time, but in reality, this new lifestyle really caught me off guard and hasn’t been easy.

While I really enjoy having free time, I was surprised to discover how quickly loneliness and a lack of fulfillment started to weigh on me. As time swiftly passed by and I hadn’t moved in the direction I hoped I would after graduation, doubt and frustration started to take hold on me. From my perspective, I was doing all the right things and following God’s will for my life. I expected God to start answering my prayers and get my future rolling!

In frustration and perhaps even a little boredom, I started to memorize scripture in hopes that it might reveal something new to me in this challenging phase of life. After spending some time memorizing and reciting James 4, I was quickly awakened to some issues I had in my life.  The passage talks about desires, not getting what you want, and what God’s nature is in light of all our requests to Him. Through this passage, I learned (and am continuing to learn) that God answers our prayers and fulfills us when we choose to align our will directly with His. For me, this was a bit of a wake-up call to the fact that all my perfect plans for post-graduation life may not have been exactly what God had planned for me.

Beyond aligning my will to God’s will, I also feel that He has called me to refrain from passivity in the wake of the unknown. By this, I mean that God doesn’t want me to sit around idly simply because I don’t always know what direction He is going to guide me. Rather, I should be actively seeking His direction, and should be taking steps even when I don’t know the final destination.

As I am learning, this transitional phase of life very well may be a pivotal phase for me. While I await some answers and direction, I am grateful for the little bits of my story God has revealed and the small steps He has challenged me to take during this time.

If you are in a lonely, transitional, or unfulfilling time in life, I challenge you to refrain from passivity. While you may not know what is coming next or why you are placed where you are right now, I encourage you to seek God and allow Him to direct you. Sometimes, we can stifle our own ability to thrive when we refuse to veer from our own plan. In light of this, let us be willing, open, patient, and trusting in the Lord to direct us exactly where we need to be at exactly the right time.

Until next time,

Tamara