This seven-part series called “Letting Go” will cover seven topics that we all struggle to let go of at different seasons of our lives. But why do we? Why do we hold on to temporary things when they deteriorate us and make us miserable? The seventh and last part of this series will cover what you envisioned your future self to be like, so without further ado, here is Part 7: Letting Go of What You Envisioned Your Future to be Like:
Ever since I was a little girl, I have had the influence of Disney princesses shape the way I looked at things. That’s not a bad thing- I’m a Disney fanatic. Honestly, I grew up thinking once you get out of high school, the transition to college and work was easy. Once you graduate there’s this magical tunnel you walk through that just shapes the way you’ll go through the rest of your life. Once I get out of high school, I’ll get married and have this perfect relationship.
Well, now that I’m in college, I know that that vision was completely false, and the reality is, getting into college and finding a job is actually really difficult. Now that I am in a relationship, I realize that it takes work. You’re not always going to agree on everything and there are going to be weeks that you don’t even get to see each other because life just gets in the way sometimes. There are going to be days that are harder than others, in real life.
We always envision our circumstances to turn out wonderful and seamless, but they don’t turn out that way so often.
Maybe you envisioned yourself to be married by now.
Maybe you want kids, and you can’t have them.
Maybe your life is just falling to pieces and you can’t get a handle on it.
Maybe you’re not where you want to be spiritually.
Maybe you’re exhausting yourself trying to get a relationship to work but it’s not.
Maybe everything you thought you ever wanted is right in front of you and you don’t know how to cope with it.
Maybe college is hard- scratch that- College is always hard.
Life is hard in general.
And sometimes in the hardest moments when your whole future that you had planned out isn’t turning out the way you thought it would, it’s hard to trust God in those moments, isn’t it?
Maybe you just wing everything- your life, your future, your eyeliner. Well I wish I could do that, but I can’t. I have to have everything planned out because if I don’t, I get stressed out. Quite frankly, when it doesn’t work out the way I thought it would, sometimes it freaks me out.
Isn’t that the fun part of life though? Unpredictability?
Our lives are centered around unpredictability, ultimately, because in reality, who makes our decisions? Not us.
God does.
Let go.
So anything that was “unexpected” that came out of your life serves a purpose and was planned by the ultimate planner and author of the universe.
I can’t speak for each one of you, but I know that a lot of you have had disappointing things happen to you that altered the way you thought things were going to happen.
Honestly, I thought I would have a job by now, but I guess God has different plans for me.
I often find myself drowning in homework instead.
That’s the great thing about God, he gives you things that you can’t handle on your own, sometimes things that hurt really, really bad, and he makes beautiful things come out of it.
God doesn’t cause bad things to happen in your life. He sometimes allows things to happen so that you lean on Him instead of on your own understanding of what a perfect life is.
He restores.
What hope we have because of that promise. We have the constant, unwavering promise that in the end when all of the heartbreak you face is said and done, you will be okay and you won’t have to fear that you can’t handle it. Because honestly, without Jesus, you can’t.
Sometimes the most messy of circumstances turn out to be the most beautiful. Sometimes the things you didn’t expect to happen are the things that bring you the greatest people in your life. Sometimes unexpected things turn out to be the greatest things.
The boat you’re in is not what defines you.
Let go.
Just because you aren’t as successful as you thought you would be now, doesn’t mean you’re less important or brilliant or beautiful.
Maybe you thought you were going to be an astrophysicist and now you’re working two full time jobs to pay your way through college.
Sometimes you face road blocks that are God’s way of telling you He has different plans for your life.
That’s okay!
Don’t let the unknown abyss in front of you scare you.
Because I know how terrifying that can be, to not know where you’re going, just creeping through life, not knowing where God has your future.
I also know how frustrating it can be when you thought you had everything all planned out and then it crashes down in front of you.
I know that pain you feel when expectations you have for yourself and for others falls through.
But if God has taught me anything in my life, it’s that His timing is always perfect.
His timing is going to suck sometimes because you get stuck in a waiting period that is going to end who knows when.
Waiting periods are really difficult to deal with.
But it’s in our waiting periods that we discover the most about ourselves and about our Savior.
I promise the unknown abyss will fill up with opportunities.
I promise that the waiting period will be over.
I promise that you will get it together.
I promise that God isn’t going to let you wander into the desert without trying to pull you out.
I promise that you are worthy of everything wonderful in your life because Christ sacrificed His everything to deem you worthy.
Live in those promises.
Let go.
This series has been an incredible experience to write. Thank you so much to anyone who has read any one of them. I love each of you so much. Thanks to Tina Spry for suggesting the “Letting Go” topic.
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Here are parts 1-6:
Read Letting Go of Fear here.
Read Letting Go of Toxicity here.
Read Letting Go of the Past here.
Read Letting Go of Your Independence here.
Read Letting Go of Heartbreak here.
Read Letting Go of Struggles here.
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Know that you are so incredibly loved by the King.
Know that you are beautiful and worthwhile.
Know that you are not bound to whatever holds you captive.
XO,
Alex
