Northbound
Perhaps one of my favorite things about being a senior in college is the ever-looming question of "What are you going to do when you graduate?"...Not.You see, the academic arena remains centered on the goal of future achievements. The four years in college are spent in tireless pursuit of good grades, a full schedule of extracurriculars, and an endless array of "resume-building activities." The days are long, and the nights are short, but you do what you've been convinced is essential in setting yourself up for a successful future.And then, suddenly, the culmination of four chaotic years is at hand...and you begin to realize that for all of the time you've spent in preparing for the future, you truly have no idea about where you're going or what's to come.It's in these moments of uncertainty that I learn to relinquish my "Type A" need to have a plan and distinct direction. I'm reminded that for all my ideas of "knowing where I'm going," I've really never had control. I may effectively convince myself of a plan (or a semblance of one), but all my plans are merely fruitless ideas.When I look back and reflect on the places I've been, I'm struck with the realization that all the moments where my plans failed, moments where I felt hopeless and exasperated, ultimately led to seasons of growth and blessing. But before I could move into those seasons, I had to first understand that this growth and blessing was not a result of my own plan, but rather of the Lord's movement.In a conversation about the future with a dear friend and roommate, the topic of true versus magnetic north surfaced. She made the powerful analogy that following our own plans (or the plans that we think we should follow based on others' opinions or advice) often mirrors following magnetic north—they may land us in the right general direction, but following them for an extended period of time lands us far off from where we should be. Unlike magnetic north, however, following true north unceasingly results in the exact destination. True north must result from following the Lord's leading—it cannot be manufactured by man. No contrivance of my own can lead or land me where I ought to go.This simple metaphor served as a poignant reminder that regardless of how hard it is to consistently surrender and trust the Lord with my future, even when I have no answer to the question of "What are you going to do when you graduate?" He alone can guide me to true north, and even when I get frustrated that I don't have the map, I'm reminded of his continual faithfulness leading me gently along the path he's called me to, and the reminder refreshes my spirit and gives it the energy to press on into the unknown. This truth pushes me to keep seeking his face (Psalm 27:8) and the truth in his word, which though I often wish it were a spotlight, is a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).So, I don't know what I'm doing when I graduate in May. But I do know that he has a plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11), and that regardless of where he leads me, I can accomplish my purpose of loving him and serving his people. I may not know the capacity or the specifics, but I have the overarching purpose. And I have the love and guidance of a gentle, faithful God who alone can lead me to true north.