READ THIS IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT WHERE YOU SHOULD BE IN LIFE

With the boom of young millionaires and successful young business owners, young adults like myself can easily begin to feel like we aren't where we are supposed to be in our lives.

Some of us are starting to see our friends get married, having babies, getting promotions, traveling the world, and doing all sorts of fun and exciting this we haven't experienced yet. This fear of missing out can make us feel really low.

I experienced something like this last week. I had been wanting to make a change that I thought would help my little family and I, but it didn't work out the way I'd planned. I had been praying about it for weeks. I got part of my prayer answered the way I wanted it to be answered, but the other part simply didn't happen.

I had also been praying for humility and the ability to accept whatever it was that God wanted for me. I have to admit though, when I got the answer that didn't fit the story I'd written for myself, I cried.

​I cried until my head hurt. I cried and then felt awful about crying. I called my husband Jonathan after I found out, and cried to him. I called my mom on the way home from work and cried to her.

I tried to have a better night, and with a few laughs from some jokes my husband cracked, and admittedly a bit of ice cream, I was feeling OK. 

​Then I went to church Sunday.

​All of the things I experienced weren't completely out of my head, but I was excited as always to go to church. Have you ever heard a message that just seemed like it was for you specifically?

​That's what happened. Our pastor talked about Peter and John, and how Peter faced the same people who killed Jesus after healing a lame man in Jesus' name. 

This same Peter who had denied Christ three times, fell asleep on him in the garden, and nearly drowned while walking to Jesus on the sea due to his lack of faith was now speaking in the name of Jesus to the people who killed had him. 

I realized then that God is trying to transform me into a Peter. A few years ago, I would have been cynical towards God for not answering my prayer. It would have shaken my faith. Why do these things keep happening to me? I would have been like David in some of his Psalms.

"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?" - Psalm 13:1-2

But unlike David, who still praised God in his trials, I wouldn't have been grateful for what I do have. I wouldn't have said, "well, God knows what's best for me."

During the church service, our pastor explained that sometimes God positions us where we need to be, even if it isn't where we are supposed to be.

Many young adults are, in the minds of older adults, trapped between adolescence and adulthood. We can feel invalidated if we don't have certain things in life like a relationship, a child, a killer job, or exciting experiences to talk about around the table. 

That's the lie the world tells us. You see, the thing I was struggling with is very visible to those who I see every single day. They know that I work hard and do my best. Maybe God will use that to speak to someone. I know for a fact God is using that to speak to me and change my heart in some ways. 

My point to my fellow young adult Christians is this: You don't need power, relationships, or material things to make a difference. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He gave us two ears so we can listen to our friends and their struggles. He gave us a mouth to encourage others through our words. He gave us hands and feet so we can work and help others in their hardest times. He gave us our heart to love and empathize.

As hard as it is to live in a world where what you have and who you are means everything, remember how easy it is to rest in God's will and linger there. Remember that, at the end of the day, everyone will spend eternity with God or separate from him. God is the great equalizer. What you do for Him now will mean much more than what you try to do for yourself.