Proverbs 16:9 tells us that "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." We get so caught up in making plans and trying so desperately to stick to them that most of the time, we forget that things are ultimately out of our control. Ephesians 5:17 says, "Be careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise – making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
Most of the time when things don't go according to plan, He is protecting us from what was never meant for us. As terrifying as it can be to let go of the steering wheel and hand it to Him, it's the only way to actually get where you're going. If we aren't willing to put our trust in Him and allow ourselves to be completely immersed in His plan for our lives, then we will keep failing again and again. What is meant for us will not pass us, and everything that does pass us was not meant for us in the first place.
Imagine having a bank account that credits you $86,400 every single morning. Every night, the bank deletes the money that you didn't use. What would you do? Try to use up every last cent, right? Every single morning, God credits us with 86,400 seconds, and most of the time, we take them for granted. God has given us this time to bring Him glory, yet we spend so much of it trying to please ourselves and others. One of the most important lessons I've learned so far in college is that we can make plans all we want, but if our plans don't align with His, they aren't going to unfold. And that's okay.
As college students, we are constantly making plans. All of us are on some sort of pathway to becoming a professional in whatever career we've decided on. We have plans for our future. Those plans turn into expectations, concrete in our minds that if we stray away from this exact map that we've made on how to get from point A to point B, we will fail. Stop making plans. I don't mean go and change your major or question every decision that you've ever made. You are exactly where God wants you to be. Just stop trying to control every single aspect of your life and let Him control your fate. It's okay to fail an exam. It's okay to make mistakes. When we finally let go of this idea that every little thing has to be scheduled and predetermined, life has a way of just falling into place. The true experience of being alive is beyond those plans and has a way of just "happening" to us. Live in the present and let go of fear.
Don't mistake God's patience for His absence. His timing is perfect, and His presence is constant.
