I have a love hate relationship with you. Why? I love you, because your made up of a lot of self discovery. I hate you.... because your made up of a lot of self discovery. You consume so much trial and error, and so many life lessons. The world tells you where you ought to be in life, and you begin to deeply realize you have a long way to go before "figuring it all out". I fall, I rise, and I fall again. The good news is I'm over half way through these years.... the bad news I'm starting to realize ALL of life will be like this. BUT one day I'll look back and...maybe I'll miss you? Or maybe not. Only time will tell. Dear twenties, if I didn't have JESUS I don't know how I could handle these years.
There are so many bible verses that are thrown our way in our twenties- Jeremiah 29:11 seems to meet the top of that list. "I don't know what to do next"- Jeremiah 29:11. "I don't know what degree I should go for?" -Jeremiah 29:11. "I'm having a mid-twenties crisis!"-Jeremiah 29:11. So you begin to think "if only I preached Jeremiah 29:11 over myself better and believed hard enough then maybe things would be better!" Well, dear friend, I understand that thought and the train of thoughts that follow it. I can't tell you I've been there, but I can tell you I am there. So fellow twenty something year old I have something that will ACTUALLY help you (LORD willing). Try reading Jeremiah 29: 1-23 and then tell me how you feel. Context is essential. Let's zoom in on Jeremiah 29: 4-14. We see that this is a letter written to exiles and it doesn't merely say "believe harder"- it a letter giving instruction. Do you need to believe that the LORD holds your future? Absolutely! But dear friend, you wont figure it out sitting on your bum. The first plan of action is to take action and JUST DO SOMETHING (Which by the way is a great read by Kevin DeYoung). The people were instructed to work (and work hard) to build homes and to seek the welfare of the city. They were instructed to build a life here on earth (NOT a kingdom there is a difference!). Secondly (yet foremost) they were told to seek the LORD and to pray to HIM. Then they are promised that they would find HIM when they seek HIM with their whole heart. GOD gives both saving grace and common grace, and HE gives grace to receive grace. Rest in that.
SO dear fellow twenty something year old, don't lose hope. When your thirties come.... read Jeremiah 29 again and meditate on the same truths as you do now. HIS word is forever. Overwhelmed? I feel you! Just breathe. Don't know what to do? More than half the time, me either! Seek wise counsel. Wandering what to do next? ME TO! My advice? Just do something....and read Kevin DeYoung's book. Rest, meditate, and live out Jeremiah 29- act, build, seek, pray, serve, and let the LORD lead you.
Sincerely, a fellow twenty something year old.
Much love, Frances Hope
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