A secret that no one tells you about your first semester of college is that there will be a lonely period. It will be overwhelming. You'll have friends, but the friendships will all be in early stages of questioning whether you should ask them to hang out or not. You'll be surrounded by exciting, new, and fun experiences that you could never have imagined.
You'll have freedom that you didn't even realize would be so wonderful. But loneliness will hit at some point. It may be brief, or it may last a significant amount of time longer than you would hope for. This is bound to happen because you have left the comfort of your home, your family, your friends, and your hometown. You will resent this loneliness and wish that it didn't happen.
I am so thankful that it did.
The thing about the God we serve is that He is good. That is just who He is. He doesn't put us through seasons of loneliness without a purpose. And, of course, that purpose is good.
Before starting college, I prayed and prayed for meaningful friendships built on mutual faith that encouraged one another. I know my God, and I know His faithfulness, so I expected a feeling of fulfillment and community pretty early on in the first semester; however, God knew that I needed to find friendship fully and completely in Him before I found it in others.
I was walking through this season of feeling so completely alone and behind in forming community. I was asking God why He wasn't providing. I was going to church. I was meeting new people every single day that I had so much in common with, but I wasn't feeling filled with the love and the friendships of a community. I went to church one Wednesday night, and three of us were praying after the sermon. We were talking about our struggles and our triumphs and how the sermon applied in our lives. I was talking about the season of loneliness that I was going through and how I just kept questioning when God was going to provide for me and why He was waiting. When we began to pray, the girl that was praying for me prayed that He would provide community for me in which I felt encouraged and held accountable and important, but that while I was waiting on that provision I would rest in His friendship, in His encouragement, His community, His accountability, and His love. Then, it dawned on me why He was waiting.
I was seeking godly friendships and community before I was seeking God.
I needed to learn to rest fully and completely in Him and in His friendship.
He is the perfect companion.
One who loves in the most beautiful way.
One who cares in the kindest way.
One who teaches in the most loving way.
One who corrects in the most perfect way.
If I could not find peace and joy simply in His company, no other friendship would fulfill me. How awesome of a God. How loving of a Father to love me so much and care for me so much that He would want me to understand this lesson. I can't describe how absolutely incredible that is. I am so thankful for the sweetest Friend that believed that I was important enough to be taught that fulfillment in all aspects of life comes only from Him.
Future First Semester Freshmen, I pray that you would embrace the upcoming season of loneliness as a time to seek Him more than ever.
