Where Are You Going?

Do you recall the story of Alice in Wonderland? I know it’s not spiritual, but you may have heard it anyway. Basically, Alice got lost in an unfamiliar forest. Eventually she came to a crossroad and did not know which way to go. So she notices a cat in a tree and asks him which road she should take. In reply the cat asked her where she was going. Well, Alice wasn’t sure. So the cat explained that since she didn’t know where she was going anyway, it really didn’t matter which road she took.

The cat’s question should really make us think not only about where we are going in life, but about who we want to be. The college years can slip up on us, and if we don’t plan, we will be just as lost as Alice.

When you know what you want to be, you can better plan on how to get there. It gives you the strength and determination to stay with it when the going gets tough. No one has to make you study or budget, you just do it. Since you know where you are going, you are better able to steer clear of the pits and traps that sink so many youth.

I hear youth of today say things like "I want a job", or "I want a car". There is nothing wrong with wanting these things, but we should also think about the kind of person we are. You see, who we are (not what we have) really impacts our pursuit of where we are going. Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths". As we spend time with God, He helps us figure out who He wants us to be.

The more we grow and mature, the more we will see just how important God’s presence is in our life. As we read our bibles and pray for understanding, God will lead us in the choices we need to make.

Colleges actually have everything students need to reach their goals. There are scores of professors and tutors as well as thousands of books, periodicals and computers. It is quite easy to have an abundance of knowledge at your fingertips with a few clicks of a mouse. But self-discipline and godliness cannot be found in school curriculums or downloaded from web sites. It comes from who you are.

Start focusing now on what you want for yourself and where you are going in life. God wants you to succeed, and He wants you to be happy. His every intent for you is good. Don’t hesitate. Make the most of your youth by pursuing God’s will for your life.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11.

By: Edmund Brown