For the Girl Who’s Worried About the Future

To the girl worried about the future…anxious because you don’t have everything planned out….feeling less-than because other people have bigger aspirations than you do…pull up a chair. I have some truth to share with you. 🙂

When everyone else has the future figured out, but you don’t…

If you’re in high school or college, you’re probably really familiar with questions about your future. People ask you where you’re going to college, what you’ll major in, what you’ll do with your degree, bla bla bla.

I love making plans and having answers to all the questions people ask. But I haven’t always known what I want to do. Haven’t always understood God’s calling on my life. And guess what? I still can’t see the big picture. I have ideas and goals, but I have no idea how He’ll coordinate all my gifts and desires. And that’s totally okay. 

Today an old friend and I caught up over coffee and talked about our plans after college. I want to open a private piano studio and teach kids from the projects in New York and invest in music ministry. My friend is going to college for acting and has no idea what she wants to do with her degree. But y’know why I love that? She’s completely okay with not knowing what her future holds. She knows God will show her where to go when the time comes. But for now, she’s following her God-given passion and trusting Him with everything else.

My friend and I may be in slightly different places of the planning process, but we have one thing in common: God has us exactly where we’re supposed to be. When we keep our eyes on Him, we don’t have to worry about the future. I mean let’s be real, we can’t control it anyway!

Whether we hold a rough sketch of the future or just a blank sketchbook, God has us exactly where we’re supposed to be.

If you have no idea where God wants you in the future, that’s okay! Focus on right now. Trust in God’s sovereignty. He didn’t create us to understand everything. He created us to trust Him because we don’t understand everything.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34, NIV).

When you know what you want to do, but everyone else is better at it…

I’m majoring in Piano Pedagogy this Fall, and I knew this major would have challenges when I chose it. Challenges other than 12-18 required practice hours per week. I knew I’d run into some crazy-talented pianists. Knew I’d doubt my abilities or my purpose as a musician from time to time. But I had no idea those little insecurities would creep in so soon.

An old peer of mine recently became a semi-finalist in a competition to become a symphony accompanist. One of my friends plays for orchestras and a future classmate plans to get her doctorate so she can teach college piano.

And sometimes I feel like an underachiever. My plans aren’t as impressive as hers. I’m not as skilled as she is. I don’t practice 6 hours every day like he did. Should I even pursue a music degree? 

In the words of a sweet friend of mine, “YES. YOU SHOULD.” 

God is graciously teaching me that I don’t have to have the same puzzle pieces as my peers. He has a box of pieces just for me, and I can delight in His plan.

Friend, if insecurity is holding you back from doing what you love, it’s time to change your mindset. Don’t let comparison rob you of your vision. Don’t let doubt deafen you to your calling.

You’re every bit as special and full of potential as the next person because God gave you your dream for a reason. He gave you the exact skills you need to accomplish His plans for you. 

So, whether you have a sketch of your future or blank pages in your hands, delight. Just be. Pursue Jesus and trust Him with your future. He’ll do incredible things. ❤

“Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]” (Proverbs 3:5-6, AMP).

Life is so much better when we trust and obey.