rebelling against low expectations

6 Truths for Teens Who Have No Idea What The Future Holds

6

Have you ever tried to use worn-out crutches, with the metal sticking through the rubber feet, on a dock or a boardwalk?

You have to go slow and purposefully place the crutches in the middle of each board, watching every single step. The second you look up, your crutch lodges in a crack.

That is the position I was in this past summer, both literally and figuratively. I was entering my senior year of high school without a dream.

It wasn’t just not knowing where to go to college or what I wanted to major in, it was more than that. My future was a blank canvas without a speck, and I hadn’t the slightest idea what I wanted it to look like.

I began to get worried. Should I make up a dream? Pick a random something as a goal? This was compounded by the fact that I had met two other teens who had the next five years of their lives planned out in considerable detail.

But God placed people in my life to dispel my anxiety and I want to share their advice with those of you who might feel the same way.

1. God has a plan for your life.

Isaiah 42:6a: “I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by Your hand.”

Big sigh of relief. I don’t need to make up a big goal for my life to have meaning, because God has already planned the whole thing out. I haven’t slipped through the cracks. Sometimes I forget this and simply need a reminder.

2. You can’t mess up God’s plan for your life.

Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.”

My mom offered me this nugget of wisdom and I call it to mind quite often. When I realize that God is going to accomplish His purpose for my life whether I come along willingly or kicking and screaming, it becomes easier to act.

With the Lord determining my steps, I can’t go wrong.

3. You can’t miss it either.

Acts 9:5: “’Who are You, Lord?’ Saul said. ‘I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting,’ He replied.”

So you can’t mess up God’s plan for your life, but can you miss His blessings? As my youth pastor said, no one in the Bible ever wondered if it was really God who was talking to them. Saul was unsure which God, so he asked, and Jesus responded.

Basically, while you can choose to purposefully ignore the Holy Spirit’s leading, you can’t accidentally miss God’s blessings if you are searching to do His will.

4. Don’t pursue the same things as the world.

Proverbs 23:4-5a: “Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; stop giving your attention to it. As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears…”

When you were younger, did you ever fantasize about making a gigantic discovery or inventing something brilliant that would make you millions of dollars? I did.

But the older I get, the more I realize that there is so much more to this life than money. While you want to act with financial wisdom, you don’t need to plan your entire life around how to get money.

Which leads to my next point…

5. God will provide.

Philippians 4:11-13: “I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content, whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I don’t know if He will cause a milk truck to break down at the corner so you can feed your house full of orphans, but I know He will provide the strength to get through whatever difficult circumstances you find yourself in.

6. Relax, God’s got everything under control.

Matthew 6:31-34: “So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

It all comes down to trust. Do you trust God to know what’s best for your life? Do you trust that He will continue to lay the boardwalk underneath your feet/crutches while you keep moving, even if you can’t look up to see it for yourself?

It’s hard, but I hope, like me, you are learning that our Lord is worthy of our trust.


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Photo courtesy of Jordi Paya and Flickr Creative Commons.


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About the author

Cricket Hoppmann

is a nineteen-year-old, southern, homeschooled chicken-lover—the kind that still has feathers and clucks (not her, the chickens). She also loves Jesus, her family, martial arts, and climbing trees. Although she has no idea what she wants to do with her life, she’s trusting God and looking forward to seeing what doors He will open.

19 comments

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  • Thank you!!! This was so encouraging … I’ve struggled with this for awhile, and my Bible Quizzing coach told me that if the things that we are working towards and want, are in Gods plan for us, it will work out in the end 🙂

  • Cricket, this article is just what my worrisome mind needed to hear. I’m a senior in HS navigating my way through college applications and visits, and it’s so easy to get overwhelmed with it all. So, thanks for the reality check. God knows what He’s doing 😉

  • Thank you so much for this article! I’m right in that transition, trying to figure out life, senior year. I loved the George Muller reference in point 5.

    By the way. I too am avid in Martial arts, climbing trees, and writing. 🙂

      • Tae Kwon Do! I’ve been doing it for the past 4 years and I earned my 1st Degree Black Belt last December.

        How about you?

        • Wow, black belt!

          I started Jeet Kune Do (Jun Fan) about four-ish years ago, but due to moving/breaking bones I only have two years of solid experience. A black belt is definitely something I’m aiming for, though!

  • Not knowing what the future holds or what the heck to do has been my struggle for the past couple years. And I have to remind myself to trust God and I know he has a plan and I’m just trying to figure out his will and everything, but it can still be frustrating and sometimes I worry I’m not doing the right thing.
    So anyway, great post!!! I love the verses you put in there and will be writing those down.

  • Love the verses, they are so encouraging. I have no idea what I want to do in the future as well. Thanks for the great reminder that God is in control! I’ll definitely write these verses down to remember that I don’t need to worry about my future 🙂

  • Thank you for the encouraging post, Cricket. As a college student without a major and still really no idea what to do with my life, I needed to hear this today. ~AnnaGrace

  • Thank you so much for writing this, I am 19 and ever since I was a kid I have only had one goal. Recently however that door was shut in my face, and I have been struggling ever since. Even though I have no idea where God is taking me it is hugely encouraging to know that He has a plan and is unfolding it His way and in His time.

  • Thanks for this amazing article, Cricket. I think I’ll definitely have to come back to this one! (I got the George Muller reference, lol)

  • Thank You Cricket! I´m graduating this year and I have no idea what to do afterwards, your article really encouraged me 😀

By Cricket Hoppmann
rebelling against low expectations

The Rebelution is a teenage rebellion against low expectations—a worldwide campaign to reject apathy, embrace responsibility, and do hard things. Learn More →