What To Do When Your Journey Isn’t clear

I sat across the table from a college senior as tears welled in her eyes.

“I graduate in May, and I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with my life.”

She proceeded to tell me about several of her friends who have clear visions for their future and how she felt like a lesser individual because she still didn’t know.

photo by moyan brenn (creative commons)

I felt such empathy for her.

I Had Been There

I had been one of those other girls—the ones who were making her feel inferior because they had their lives mapped out for the next 5-10 years, if not longer.

I left college bound for seminary in preparation for a life spent ministering to college students. That was my 3-year plan—and it lasted until I crossed the state line from Louisiana into Texas.

Living was going to be expensive, on-campus jobs didn’t fall into my lap like I’d hoped, and I had to fall back on my undergraduate degree in education—something I thought I would never use.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Twelve years later, I had a Masters degree from seminary that I wasn’t using, but instead I was engaged in a rewarding career as a junior high English teacher.

Soon after, I fell into a job as an editor. To say I had no idea my life would end up where it is now would be an understatement of epic proportions.

Plans vs Faith

As I looked across the table at that sweet college senior, I shared with her that culture pressures us to have a plan, but our walk with the Lord is one that requires faith.

Are there people who have seen clearly from Day 1 the steps that the Lord wants them to take? Absolutely.

But there are also a great many of us who began a journey we thought was clear, only to find out we would be given maps as we needed them.

It didn’t mean that we were wrong or out of God’s will or less holy than the others; it just meant our journey wouldn’t be so clearly cut.

It’s easier to live with intentionality when we know exactly where we’re headed and have a precise vision. However, just because we might not know the next step we are going to take does not mean we are in a holding pattern.

So how do we live intentionally, even when we’re unsure where our journey will take us?

1. Pray

It seems so simple, doesn’t it? But it’s so often the last thing we do. Over and over in Proverbs, Solomon writes about asking for and seeking out wisdom. James 1:5 tells us to do the same.

He is the Giver of all wisdom and that mainly comes through prayer.

2. Look Around

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

Wherever we are planted and for whatever period of time, we should seek to view the world around us as Christ sees it and build relationships and meet needs accordingly.

3. Trust His Character

Just because we’re unsure of the direction of our lives, there’s no cause for worry or for fear. He’s still the God who is with us and won’t forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He sees us and is for us.

If we’re walking in obedience to Him, He is using all of this for His glory and our ultimate joy in Him. He can be trusted more than any plan we’ll ever create.

Question – do you have any other tips for living intentionally when you don’t know where your journey is headed? Please share in Comments below.

*Photo by Moyan Brenn (creative commons)