My Future

In this day and age, I find it increasingly more difficult to explain my "plan" for the future.  Now a senior in college, not a week goes by when I'm not asked "What are you going to do when you graduate?" I don't mind this question, as it makes logical sense to think that because I have nearly finished four years of training, I should know what I want to do.  That much is true, I know what I want to do.  I've known what I wanted to do for nearly six years now.  But whose idea was it that because I want to do it, it's what I should do?
In this day and age, it is becoming more and more popular to "follow your dreams" and "become who you want to be."  I know several people who I am friends with on facebook; nearly every day (or so it seems) they post a picture of themselves with the hashtags #lovewhoyouare #beyourself ...and so on. 
I have come to the conclusion that today's young people have been taught the opposite of the truth.  One of the most amazing books I've been reading on this subject is Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. 


This segment in particular struck a chord in my own heart, where C.S. Lewis describes God's point of view regarding our lives.

“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.” 

This way of thinking is directly opposed to the world's view for today's young people.  Today we're being told to "Achieve your goals" "Dream big and your dreams will become reality", "Be who you want to be"- the emphasis is on "Do for yourself what nobody else is going to do for you."

What would happen if we all realized that someone is wanting to take care of your future? That you don't have to do everything all for yourself?

I loved this illustration from C.S. Lewis:

 “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Wow...so what am I doing when I plan my entire life out myself? Am I refusing to allow God to build a palace in my life?  I'm settling for the "cottage" that I could potentially build for myself.  God wants more for me.  There is nothing wrong with dreaming big for the future...but when you shut the door on God by saying "This is what I am doing; I am fulfilling my dreams" rather than saying "God, here is my life, in exchange, I want all of You", you are limiting your effectiveness for Christ.  He will not force you to give yourself to Him.  God wants you to surrender to Him so that He can use you.  As for me, my plans are undecided and they will be determined by Someone much more intelligent.

Anyway, all that to say this.  If you ask me what I will be doing after I graduate, I'll smile, shrug my shoulders, and tell you what I tell everyone: "I'm not sure yet...it's all up in the air still." :)