Eat breakfast at seven, catch the bus at eight, get home at five, have dinner at six, and sleep at ten. As a high school student, life followed a fairly mechanical and regular structure. At eighteen, I went to university and soon realised things were going to be a bit different.
During the first few days at university, the freedom of being able to go to lectures in your pyjamas, stay out until 4am every night and have breakfast at 4pm, may either fill you with euphoria, or complete dread. For me, it was the latter.
Having a structure had always made me feel that I had my life sorted. From primary school to sixth form, it seemed I had little reason to question my day. The way I lived was shaped by established structures and time commitments. Even during the summer, there seemed to be little to interrupt establishing a regular rhythm of life. At university, this couldn’t be further from the truth!
Initially, the freedom made me feel very uneasy. I no longer felt life was predictable, or in control. I tried to go back to my old routine, and resisted going out with friends or staying up late.
However, it wasn’t long before I found that one; I was making myself miserable, and two; by trying to control everything, I was putting God in a box. Fearing the unknown, I was stopping myself from stepping out into all the blessings and purposes he had for me.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” Proverbs 3:5-6
I graduate today. Looking back after three years, I now realise that this freedom is what makes university such a great place for personal growth and development.
As I began to step out, entrusting my fears and hopes to God, I began to experience such freedom and joy! Whether this was feeling excited about taking time out to rest in God’s presence, enjoying going on runs with friends instead of alone, or being able to delight in playing monopoly with my housemates until 4am!
It's little victories like this that has helped me to experience God as a personal, loving father who wants to meet the desires he has hidden in our hearts. As you start university, I would urge you to dedicate the next few years, in all their freedom and endless opportunities, to Him.
Be open to his spirit and let him take control - you won’t regret it!
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