Earlier this week I stumbled across an article about following Jesus while you’re in college. In that article it had three questions it asked you:
- Is Jesus worth pursuing?
- What does it mean to you to follow Jesus?
- What prevents you from following Jesus?
It mentioned that to pursue Jesus meant that you needed to prioritize Jesus. That you needed to invite Jesus into the things you do.
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When I was a freshman at Clemson, I didn’t think about any of those questions. Sure I “followed” Jesus, but I didn’t pursue him or acknowledge the reasons why I wasn’t following him fully. I wasn’t commented to my relationship with Jesus Christ whole-heartedly. I was way too distracted by my life and being stressed out about college to even think about asking Him for guidance and comfort. It wasn’t until this summer that I consciously set aside time to prioritize Jesus. This summer was an eye opening experience for me about my relationship with Jesus.
I’ve been thinking about the upcoming school year and I have decided how I am going to really follow Jesus this year.
Make it a routine to set aside time for Jesus.
This is something I started this summer, and it was so refreshing. Every morning I would read a devotional and the scripture that went along with it while I had my morning coffee. It always made each day start off in a good way, and I was always in a better mood and less stressed for the remainder of the day. Also, take a time(or multiple times) during your day to pray. "Pray to your father who is with you, sees you, and knows you."
Be aware of all that God has created.
So often in life we walk around without paying attention to our surroundings. We’re too focused on our phones or too worried about something to focus on everything around us. So when you’re walking from class to class, take time to notice how beautiful the flowers are in front of Tillman, how nice the breeze feels, how the crazy campus squirrels are actually kind of cute, and how blessed you are to be going to school on such a beautiful campus.
Find a community of believers that you can relate to.
My church recently started a bible study group for people in what we like to call the “hole”. We’re a group of young adults from college freshman to college graduates and beyond that are not yet married with children and feel slightly lost in this phase of life. Growing up and getting out of the routine you were used to in high school is difficult, and I feel that’s when I began to neglect pursuing Jesus. I was lost in my next phase of life. Having a community of believers that I can relate to has helped me so much. We’ve only been having meetings for a few weeks now, but I have gained so much by being with them. I would definitely encourage you to check out a community that appeals to you and inspires you.
Listen to God and obey.
I have struggled with this so much. It is so hard to just get quiet and listen, but it is so important. In this past year I have had so many situations happen that I would have handled better if I had listened to God. It opened my eyes to the fact that I had just done things my way and had not obeyed at all. I was too stubborn. I thought I could handle it on my own, when in fact if I had listened and obeyed, the situation would have been a lot easier on me. So, don’t make the same mistake that I made, listen to what God is trying to tell you, and obey Him.
I encourage you to remember those three questions, and to make time for Jesus this year. Invite Him into all the things you do, and you will definitely feel better about your life.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Matthew 6:33
