By RACHEL Larson

I was getting close to graduating high school, I was confident I couldn’ t go through a single day without someone asking me,“ So, what are your plans for your life?” or“ What are you going to do? You’ re going to college, right?” The pressure was crushing. Being a sarcastic person, I would usually just make some jokes and laugh off the fact that I had no idea what I was going to do. I felt stupid, I felt behind. And worst of all, I was mad at God for not“ telling me the plan.”

Unfortunately, I wrestled with those feelings for a long time. Striving to be more“ spiritual,” hoping that would mean God would communicate with me more clearly... and SOON! Because I felt so behind.

What I later found, through trial and error, was that God had never left me, and He had never once stopped speaking to me. Because I had framed what the conversation was supposed to look like, I wasn’ t really listening.

God has plans for you, but He’ s not a cryptic God who wants you to figure it out like a mystery. He’ s also not keeping score and punishing you for getting things wrong. Your job is solely to keep your attention on Him and respond to His leading— one step at a time. We don’ t have to hold everything together and get everything right; that’ s what

Jesus does!

Colossians 1:15-17( CEB) says,“ The Son [ Jesus ] is the image of the invisible God, the one who is first over all creation, because all things were created by him: both in the heavens and on the earth, the things that are visible and the things that are invisible. Whether they are thrones or powers, or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. He existed before all things, and all things are held together in him.”

This is an incredible truth! You aren’ t in charge here. You didn’ t exist before all things, you didn’ t create all things, and you don’ t hold all things together. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been at work since before time, and we can rest knowing Jesus holds everything together— so that job isn’ t up to us!

If God is holding all things together through Christ, that includes your future. It includes all the things you might be wondering about, like what to do after high school, what to do after that, or who you’ ll spend your life with, and where you’ ll go. God’ s plan is to be with you, and Jesus will be holding all things together the entire way. Our job is to listen and respond with obedience. The sooner we learn this, the sooner we feel His peace, knowing we don’ t have to figure it all out. We don’ t have to decode God’ s messages

. We just need to listen and take the step.

God has taken care of me every day of my life. The journey didn’ t look like I thought it would, but God never left me, and He’ s not disappointed when we make mistakes. His response is always love. When you feel you’ ve disappointed Him, imagine Him holding you, and looking right into your eyes with a smile and saying,“ Let’ s try again, together.” He’ s with you, and He’ s not going anywhere. He’ s holding it all together. CMA

Ben and Rachel Larson serve CMA as National Evangelist Youth Movement.

Ben & Rachel Larson Youth Movement 641.757.9560 March 17-19 Pastor’ s Retreat Iron Mountain, Hatfield, AR

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