To the High School Student That is Unsure of What to do After Graduation

There is such an unnecessary amount of peer pressure that comes from the world around us saying that we need to have it all together before we walk across the stage.

In high school many times you feel the pressure of making sure you get at least a 21 on your ACT Test so that you are eligible for that $3,000 a year scholarship. You begin to see your friends posting pictures holding up celebratory acceptance letters to schools like Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Texas, Baylor, etc.

Or you’ll see a group of students sign national letters of intent to play college sports.

Then you see other classmates sign up for the Army and another group accept an $80,000 position in the oilfield with benefits, and you still don’t know what you are going to do.

This season of your life can be scary. But there is a God that isn’t scared. He’s not shaken. He’s not afraid. He isn’t trying to figure it out. He’s not nervous. No. He is on His throne, with the plans for your life, and He wants you to trust Him.

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Here’s the thing. There is a HUGE misconception that by the time you graduate high school: you must have your college picked out, major selected, a job that makes good money with benefits, meet your dream guy or girl, a couple years after you graduate college to have a house so that you can have room for your spouse and kids.

AND THAT IS SIMPLY JUST NOT TRUE.

It is ok to not be ok.

The world tells us that we need to have it all together, hurry, and achieve. Jesus tells us that He has it all together, His timing is perfect, and to trust Him.

Maybe you don’t know what to do. I want to tell you that if you don’t, that is ok. It doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. It doesn’t mean that you are less valuable. It means that you are a human. As simple as I can put it, you are a human being that was not created to have all the answers but to trust God. It’s not easy all the time. I understand that. Jesus knows that as well, but I want to encourage you to embrace Jesus in this season of uncertainty. Let him know how you feel. Talk to Him. Share with him. Cry to Him. Then watch as He lovingly reminds you that your lack of knowledge of your future won’t ever change the way that He sees you. You are made in His image. And nothing will ever change that.

You are not defined by the college that you are or aren’t accepted into. If you’re going to Texas A&M, awesome! But it doesn’t determine your worth. If you’re going to Kilgore, awesome! But it doesn’t determine your worth. If you are going to serve for our country, thank you and yes the same thing applies, it does not determine your worth. If you’re going into the workforce, great! It doesn’t determine your worth. If you aren’t doing any of the things that I just typed after you graduate, cool. Guess what, it still doesn’t determine your worth.

Your worth and value aren’t found in what you do, who you work for, where you attend school, or what you are doing in life. It is simply found in Jesus. Jesus Makes You Worthy

It is a necessity that you understand this reality. Embrace this truth and know that it is ok to not have it all together. If we always had everything together and planned out there would be no need for God. There would be no dependency. No faith required.

In Conclusion: So often, the world puts pressure on you to make sure that you have everything together and planned out. The college, job, house, and spouse should all be figured out at 18. And that simply is just not true.  Don’t get me wrong, work hard in all things you do. Don’t slack. But also know that it is absolutely ok to not have it all figured out. Only God knows the plans for your life and James 4:8 says, “if you draw near to God, He will draw near to you,” so don’t hesitate to draw near to your Father in heaven. You may have a tendency to compare yourself to your friends or classmates that are getting acceptance letters, accepting jobs, and posting about serving the country. Don’t. It’s hard. I understand. I too struggle with this and it often tries to steal my joy. The truth is, you are different from them. They have different talents, passions, desires, gifts, capabilities, and God has made you the way that you are INTENTIONALLY. No mistakes, no mishaps or accidents, and the more that you believe that and understand that God’s love is very evident in the way that He made you, the more that you will draw near to Him.

Will you draw near and trust that He has a plan for you?