I have always been one to make so many plans for the future, in the present. It’s a habit that is split in its supporters; some encourage and others discourage it. Personally, I have experienced the good and bad sides of this behavior.
On one hand, it helps me focus and achieve goals better; on the other hand, it magnifies uncertainties and their consequences, which often leaves me with my least favorite emotion ‘worry’. A few days ago, I was reminiscing on what life was like three years ago, when I graduated with my Bachelors degree. Amidst the celebration and the excitement, my mind was racing back and forth asking “WHAT’S NEXT?”.
It was not a question of what was immediately coming after, as I already had a job as an Emergency Room Nurse waiting for me. It was more, “what happens in 2, 3, 4, 5 years?”. Excitingly, I can look back and see progress. But I realized it doesn’t really calm down the voices that want to see what will happen in the next 5 or 10 years.
My sweet mother and I usually talk in the middle of the night. This is because, it’s when she wakes up in Nigeria, and I have a terrible habit of sleeping late. After exchanging pleasantries and banters, I usually dive into sharing my thoughts and feelings with her. She is my rock!
She will quietly listen to me, whine and talk, speculate and imagine, worry and anticipate, fear and sigh, etc. Apart from trying to dispel every negative side and encourage my positive thoughts and feelings, she usually punctuates my endless rants with “JUST TRUST GOD”.
She says it so many times in our conversation and for any brief moment that my-stubborn-self will listen, I will feel my heart and mind calm down. Yes, it’s almost like an invisible breeze wipes all the thoughts and questions away. That’s before I jump right back on the saddle and continue talking her ears off.
As students or anyone, uncertainties hang over our heads. The ‘what if’, ‘what next’, ‘why’, ‘where’, ‘what then’ etc. It’s easy to give in to the thoughts and use anxiety or worry to deal with them; but it’s a lot better to JUST TRUST GOD. Worry will only steal your peace, but it won’t provide the tip of a solution to anything.
I’m not saying, live life passively or let things happen, while you watch and smile. I’m saying ‘be active’, ‘be optimistic’, ‘be driven’, and when its out of your hands, ‘JUST TRUST GOD’. Success and happiness do not come by worrying about anything.
Congratulations to all the new graduates! I pray your future is bright and colorful. Do everything but
WORRY
.
Until we chat again in the comment-section,
Make it a Winning-Day
WDG.
First though upon seeing the title was my long-time-now remedy for worry which is one question: "What is the worst that can happen?" I find that if I can picture that worst case scenario and hypothesize a reaction to it in my mind, it appears less and less gloomy. And so, I am not as bothered about the future.
Downside of this though, is that the worst case scenario can really really suck a lot of times. So yes, I agree with your mother first. JUST TRUST GOD.
You are in my HEAD!!! I do that a lot. You are right; I don't think we can fully anticipate how bad things can get. So…yeah, trusting God is easier.
Wow! I love love this post! It happens to be my least favorite emotion too. Just Trust God, the word JUST is what we never do. We would eventually grow realize that, its as easy as easy can get.
Thanks Temi!
It is indeed the easiest thing we NEVER do. I hope we can grow, learn, and realize that trusting is easier than worrying.