The Hidden Path

Months go by, and I’m stumbling blindly, arms outstretched. There’s a path promised to me, but it somehow remains unclear. How frustrating it is to step out from college, diploma in hand, only to putter around with half-hearted opportunities taking a detour around my desperate plea for an income. Questions build up. “Why did I just waste over four years pulling all-nighters on impossible projects?” “Was all that tuition necessary?” “Are these companies I’m applying for now even GETTING my résumé?” I had always assumed I would land a job straight out of college, no questions asked—simply hired. Apparently, it wasn’t going to be that simple.

Simple Happiness

In the midst of my struggles, my four-month-old nephew remains shamelessly naïve, blowing bubbles in his crib. His mobile, complete with a plush giraffe, elephant, and two monkeys, is his entire universe. Music plays while these animals rotate magically above him, and it’s hard to believe that only moments before, he was crying as if the world had ended. The transfer from mommy’s arms to auntie’s arms was realistically not an end-all, but the boy had cried nonetheless. I had quickly laid him down, turned on the mobile, and one second later, a smile took over his entire face. He needed nothing more than the mystery of those animals dancing above his head for happiness to reign once more. It amazes me what unfiltered, simple happiness this was.

And now I question, When did my own happiness become so complex? There was a time when I could be satisfied by the simplest of things as well. Long ago, my pathetic cry would result in something like a musical mobile or a plush toy, just like my nephew now. As I grew older, I could apply to multiple jobs and not pull out my hair waiting for answers because I was still in school anyway. Now I felt like I NEEDED to justify my degree with a great career instantly. Previously, I could enjoy life “as-is” and not focus on how I thought it should be. I didn’t over-analyze. My attitude became—step forward. Whether you find yourself on top of the mountain or at the bottom of the ocean, so be it. Learn. Grow. Most of all, accept.

Reconnecting to God’s Path

You may agree though that staying at the bottom of the ocean is not a lot of fun. Our desires become more complex, our life overwhelmed with questions. The surface we imagined is disappearing and the path is getting dark. Still, here’s a new perspective—could there be an air pocket somewhere we’re not aware of?

Think about this honestly. Have you ever been impatient with God’s direction in your life? Do you often wander and ask incessant questions? Are you waiting to be reconnected to the path and future you had planned for all along? The truth is that God likes to act in His own time. He may even have something COMPLETELY different planned out. The key is to accept the place that we’re in and accept that there may be more than one way out of there in His time.

For me, the job hunt continues, but I accept the reality and am dealing patiently. After all, how am I going to hear God’s voice if I am constantly panicking? While I wait, I take the opportunities that do come instead of complaining of their relative insignificance to the bigger picture I had wanted. Why? The simple answer is in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.”

That sums it up for me—the future is set. Of course, I would love to find a job in my educated field, and I would love to find it immediately. But God’s path and plan may be different from mine. So what’s the point of my constant struggle? I’ll breathe and let Him take the lead.

If you liked this, you might also like Walking the Path | Finding God’s Direction In Your Life 

Leah Robinson writes from Canada.

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