What Now, God?

I finished school in December. I remember feeling exhausted and ready to be done. I also remember being stressed due to finals, needing to pack up my room, and having to finish up my internship. Fast forward a week, and I’m back home ready to finally rest from these 3 ½ arduous years.  Personally, I can only rest for so long: a week or two usually suffice. Fast forward two weeks, I’m wondering what’s next! I know “when you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” so of course I’d looked into some opportunities before leaving school. Unfortunately, in the coming months, I’d find out that I would not be chosen for that fellowship or job I desired.

From January to June, I prayed desperately for God to reveal to me my next steps. I prayed specifically that He would give me a job and as soon as possible. Though I really wanted to start my life and find a job, I prayed quite a bit for patience and complete faith that God would work in His timing. From a myriad of bible verses over the course of time, my faith and hope increased, and I felt closer to God than I had for a while. God’s promises reassured me that this was just a season and things would work out for my good. Some of the bible verses and non-biblical quotes that helped build my faith included:

Psalms 25:4-5 “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Psalms 37:4-5 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

Psalms 37:7 “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act…”

Psalms 5:3 “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.”

Romans 8:24-25 “We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)”

“Nothing happens before its time. Stay patient and don’t worry if your path is tougher or does not look the same as others. Everyone has a unique journey with different blessings. Your progress is only delayed so that a bigger blessing is prepared.”

Between January and June, I had a number of interviews and a number of rejections! I became anxious, wondering why I could not land a job. Making me even more anxious was the fact that the people around me wanted to know my next steps, but I didn’t know myself. It would truly be a surprise for both me and them! On top of that, some of my closest friends had jobs lined up for when they finished school in May, yet I was still waiting on God. I had never experienced it before then, but this was my season of waiting, and yes, it was difficult, but it all became worth it on June 25^th when I was offered the opportunity of a lifetime by a top 20 Fortune 500 company.

In retrospect, I truly realized that God knew exactly what He was doing. He had a plan, though it hadn’t been revealed to me. While I was chasing after jobs that were probably not in His will for me, He was setting up an opportunity that was greater than anything I could have imagined or even prayed for. I also later realized that this was the only opportunity that literally presented itself to me. I did not go looking for it; God presented it to me. The best thing about this opportunity is, unlike any of the others I’d been desperately pursuing just to have a job, I can clearly see a path that will lead me to achieving my career goals.

So, friends, do not be dismayed. I promise God is working behind the scenes, though it may not seem like it. Continue letting your requests be made known to Him; keep tithing; keep having faith and putting all your trust in the Lord. Your time will surely come, and all the waiting will have been worth it.