How do you stay near God in college?
College is what people view as the great abyss of diversity. New people, new cultures, and new relationships. People say that's when churches lose their youth. People go out on their own, experience new things, and lose sight of God.
So how do you stay near God when there are so many new things distracting you?
Discipline. You have to want it. There's no other way. Most people don't have their parents or loved ones taking them to church every week. You now have the "option" to go. Do you want to continue your relationship with the Lord? Or bury your time with him under the pile of your own desires?
It's only been within the past couple years that I began putting a much bigger emphasis on my walk with the Lord. I joined the ladies bible study at church which has pushed me to do daily bible study amidst the busyness of nursing school. It's a challenge, but I enjoy the push to spend time in the word everyday. I feel as it's the only way that I can structure my time in the word and actually understand it.
Prayer is required. It's not just about asking him a to help you out with whatever you're going through, it's about developing a relationship. What would you say if he was sitting right next to you? If I'm walking to class alone, or just feel the need to talk, I go to the Lord in prayer. I ask for safety to and from school, for concentration during lectures and study, and for people to sense the presence of the lord in my presentation. A simple act of kindness can lead people to think, "I wonder what's so different about her?" In your loneliest place, time of fear, anxiety, whatever it may be- cast your cares upon the Lord.
Anxiety will happen. You will be trying to juggle your social life, school work, and time for the Lord. You'll feel there's no way you can get everything done. You may do bad on a test you studied hours for, and you have to be okay with it. Even the tiniest details are a part of his plan. Maybe that bad test grade was to let you know that sometimes we fail, even when we give it our all. However, we must get back up and trust that he will give us strength to continue.
Get involved. If you have accountability, you are more likely to succeed in growing your walk. Try volunteering in your church or college ministries. Try teaching in the preschool classes, or help with setting up for a potluck. Even going and talking to a few teenagers can show them that even when you get a little older, the Lord is still a main focus of your life. You must do everything you can to prevent life from putting a wedge into your relationship with the Lord. Once the devil gets even an inch, you could be lost forever. Try and find someone who can keep you personally accountable that you are staying in the word, praying faithfully, and just encouraging you.
Having trouble concentrating? Take notes. It's the best thing I've ever started doing! I used to never be able to stay focused on what the preacher was saying. I got a journal as a gift for my birthday about a year ago. I decided to use it for sermon notes and it changed my whole experience at church. Before I would be able to listen for about 5 minutes and my mind would start wandering. I would try to focus back in but I had already missed the connecting pieces of information. Why go to church if you're not going to try and get everything you can out of it? Taking notes has truly been a lifesaver and something I enjoy doing. It's exciting to finish a notebook and go back and look at past lessons for review and guidance. Something I started doing was writing the book of the bible the sermon preached about and a couple words about the main subject. This makes it easier when you are flipping through to find a subject you want to read about.
You will have to make sacrifices. This is a hard task, but it must be done if you want to stay as close to His ways as possible. You will probably experience loneliness. The most popular thing to do, will most likely not be godly. When I turned 21, so many people asked if I went out and drank, and to their surprise I replied, "no." A majority of people think it is totally normal, but I don't believe that is something that can bring honor to God. You may feel isolated because you see the majority of people doing everything they can to fit in. Your happiness needs to come from God; not fitting in, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, or anything else that could inhibit your relationship. You have to be willing to stand alone with God.
Surround yourself with godly friends. This is one of the hardest things for me. The only thing you really can do, is pray that He would send you into the right relationships. In college especially, you meet new people and you don't know them or their background at all. It just so happens that my closest friends in nursing school are the ones I sat beside the very first day and some who sat right behind me. He knew what he was doing when he gave my the urge to go sit by them. I have also gotten closer to others that I didn't know as well at first. You have to give it time, and pray fervently.
I know this is a LOT of information to take in. I wrote this while listening to Lauren Daigle's new album and it just inspired me to write about something current I have been working on. I think now, more than ever it is important to grow your foundation and really study what you believe. You will be tested, and you need to know your stuff to back it up. You will learn something new until the day you leave this earth. After all, the entirety of why you are here is to bring Glory to God. I am striving to improve in each of these areas I mentioned and I know that only by prayer, spending time in the word, and trusting his plan and timing are how to grow in these areas! Join me in making your walk with Him a priority, no matter what stage of life you are in!
