Following God and Decision making in college
In our late teens/early 20s, we are flooded with decisions. Many of which will influence the rest of our lives. The weight these choices carry can be very overwhelming and even paralyzing at times. As a rising sophomore at JMU, I know this weight all too well. Over the past two years, I nervously changed my major, I went back and forth about whether or not I should play soccer in college, and I agonized about decisions wrestling with what would be best for my future. The list could go on for days. To further complicate things, I was not on a linear path and the immeasurable variables kept changing. I saw plans fall into place just to get trampled a few weeks later. I questioned life decisions I was once sure of. And most notably, I stumbled through hardships that altered my view of a life with God in ways I never could have planned or even imagined.
Throughout this journey, one variable never changed: God. He was with me when I won a scholarship to join the Army as a nurse and when I switched to major in social work. He was with me when I was talking to recruiters and when I decided to end my 14 years of dedication to soccer. He was even with me as I stood across the kitchen from my mom, who had tested positive for Covid just a few hours before, waving goodbye and driving off to college in my loaded up car, heavy with silence. True to His words in Hebrews 13:8, He never let me down. Looking back, I am grateful for each detour and each twist in the road; though there are a couple things I wish I could tell my younger self.
I would begin with “Don’t put too much weight on your decisions. No matter what you choose, God will work through it and make sure you end up where you are supposed to be.” You can’t ruin God’s plans! If you’ve ever read the book of Jonah, you know that not even fleeing to the other side of the world will keep you from what God has in store. Not only will He fulfill His will, but sometimes you get a choice as to how you arrive there. As Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, God wants to know the desires of your heart. We are called to both know God and to let God know us (John 15:15). A true Christ led life is not just a religion but a relationship.
Additionally, I would remind myself that just because the destination has changed, it does not mean you took the wrong path. Sometimes God takes us on an indirect route in order to prepare us for what is ahead. Keeping this in mind, if or when your plans change, it does not mean that you made the wrong decision the first time around. It could merely mean that God wanted you to pick up a skill or lesson of some sort before undertaking the path which leads to your end goal.
This idea proves true as I look back on the countless hours I spent training, traveling, and preparing for soccer. There was a time when I couldn’t imagine my life without soccer and it wasn’t until late in my junior year of high school that I ultimately decided against playing in college. Soon after this major decision, I jumped to the conclusion that my dedication was a waste of time, money, and effort because my soccer career wouldn’t amount to anything beyond high school. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Through soccer, I met my closest friend of 9 years and counting, took on my first ever leadership role as a captain, learned how to stand up for myself and others, and developed lifelong traits and skills ranging from communication to discipline. Becoming a D1 soccer player wasn’t what God had in mind like I originally thought, but He was still at work in ways my blinders didn’t allow me to see at the time. He was preparing me for bigger and better plans.
In short, sometimes God’s plans are out of reach and out of sight. There is nothing anyone can do to mess up His plan and there is no way to anticipate everything that lies ahead. As I move forward making decisions, I no longer worry about having a perfect record or dwell on the past. Instead, I do my best to ground my actions and choices in love and in God’s will. I may not get it right all the time and I may take a few missteps, but that is what grace is for. God doesn’t hold us to the standard of perfection, micromanage every little detail, or leave us to wander on our own. He is consistent (Malachi 3:6), He is always present (Joshua 1:9), His grace is unwavering (Romans 5:20), and His love is unconditional (Romans 8:38-39). This kind of perfection is beyond comprehension.
Written by Mallory Richardson, class of 2028