If We Could Only Know the Future
By: Jenny Pridgeon
Kevin DeYoung has said something to the effect of:
“God has a wonderful plan for your life, but does he mean for you to find out that plan ahead of time? Not usually.”
If you are reading this article in hopes that I will tell you what to do with your summer, or your job, or your life, I’m sorry to disappoint. Making good decisions calls upon, most especially I think, the virtue of prudence, which doesn’t imply as many principles as one might wish. Making the best decision in the circumstance you’re in, with only the information you have, rarely follows a set of rules. Rules like “Always do the thing that scares you the most,” or “if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life,” or “God never gives you more than you can handle.” In my experience none of those “rules” are true.
He may not share the future with us, but I am convinced that God has made each of you to be born in a particular time and place, to specific people, knowing full well what influence those factors would have on your life. He has given you skills and abilities, likes and dislikes, interests and aversions. What a relief it is, don’t you think, to know that we can glorify God in our choices and in our lives, even though we do not know what the future holds?
I would encourage you to give yourself some space and try to figure out where your strengths and weakness are, what is really of interest to you, and WHY you are doing what you are doing. I think it is okay to like something because you are good at it, but don’t shy away from compelling things because you aren’t good at them (yet). It’s not unlike going on a date with a guy you don’t know very well. For a long time I thought that going on a date with someone I didn’t know I wanted to marry was leading him on (I know I know, I perpetuated Hillsdating). It isn’t true. Going on a date means you don’t know. You’re trying to figure it out! The same with jobs or internships. If you think an opportunity sounds cool, go for it! Follow it until the door closes or you realize it isn’t what you want. But don’t be like me. I should have followed through with my supposed interest (politics) when I had a good chance (WHIP) in order to know sooner that that path wasn’t for me.
What happens if you have more than one really good option?
First, try not to be afraid. Being afraid complicates things that would be much clearer otherwise. If you are afraid that you will make the wrong choice (or not make the right one), ask God to show you, and trust that He will. At many different times in my life I have prayed a version of this prayer over and over, “God, I want you to be glorified in my life and in this choice specifically! Show me what to do.” In two very specific instances, I believe He left the choice up to me, but even then He provided peace within my choosing.
Second, ask for advice. I think it’s helpful to talk with people who are older and who you admire (maybe you appreciate their work/life balance, maybe you want a career much like theirs, etc). It’s also good to seek advice from people who know you well. It’s good to approach advice as gathering useful information to help you make an informed decision – try to avoid farming out the responsibility of your choice to others.
Third, consider the people and the environment of your work/internship/opportunity and what qualities that environment might cultivate in you. This might be just as important as considering the actual tasks that work will demand.
Fourth, try it on for size. At various times in my life, when I have a bit of time before I need to make a decision, I pretend that I’ve made my choice for a day. I pretend to have chosen Option A and start thinking about what my life will look like as if it were true. I picture what it would be like to live in that city, to do a certain kind of work, or to be challenged in a particular way. The next day I pretend I’ve chosen Option B. Sometimes that exercise helps me realize what choice I’m most excited for and which one leaves me with a pit in my stomach; sometimes I think of additional pro/cons I had missed before.
Fifth, remember that what is true for you might not be true for others. Ignore the noise. For you, the brave thing might be to leave. For others it might be to stay. Don’t judge your own choices by others’ standards, and vice versa.
Finally, be grateful for choice! Gratitude helps to get you out of your head and remember that this choice is just that. It’s a step on your journey, not a destiny. If things turn out differently than you expect and you aren’t as pleased with the trajectory of your life as you thought you would be, you can do something else. It will be okay.
