By: Emily Lehner
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As I am approaching the most unfamiliar season of my life thus far, marriage, I am realizing the number of decisions and choices that lie ahead for my fiancee and I are numerous. Not only does planning a wedding involve an overwhelming amount of detail that people don’t tell you about before you are engaged, but we also have to think about life after the period of engagement. We have to find a place to live, learn how to manage finances and I need to learn how to cook (cooking has never been one of my greatest skills).
On top of all of these things on my “to-do” list, I am a worrier. I worry about tomorrow, I worry about next week, and I most certainly worry about the distant future. To stop my worry-prone mind, I create a plan. I am notorious for outlining every aspect of my present and future life. On Monday, I have planned the events for the following weekend. My emotions rely solely on whether the plans I have made are accomplished, and if my intentions fail, I become rather disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, it is good to have goals. However, the moment you stop relying on God for direction and guidance in your life, you need to reevaluate. When the goals and plans you make for your life are made without instruction from God, they are most likely going to fail. If anything, this entire season of my life has taught me that it is wrong for me to attempt to seek my own plan over God’s. It is human nature to believe that we can be successful in life apart from God.
I am recognizing that to live a joy-filled life following Christ, I must let go of control. Proverbs 3:5 states, “Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” It is important to recognize how powerful God truly is in our lives. He closes and opens doors for us according to His Will. It is important to seek Him. Seeking Him comes through prayer, reading Scripture and sometimes simply listening for Him to respond to us.
This season of life has taught me that I can’t do everything. I can’t control everything. Relying on Christ has given me so much peace and joy. It has eased my worries and allowed me to trust that whatever plan God has for me is much better than what I can create for us myself.
John 14:15 says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” So, today and everyday, I choose to love The Lord, and loving Him means seeking His plans for my life and following them. I encourage you to do the same.
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Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.