Graduation into the Unknown

Today I picked up my cap and gown for graduation from my community college in two weeks.

This just got real.

Truthfully, until today, I've been almost dreading graduation. It means an end to a season in my life, and it's a big change. It's also hard because I'll be graduating without a plan.

I am by nature a planner. I plan, and I plan, and I plan.

So it honestly terrifies me that I don't know what is coming next. It frustrates me that I don't have a plan, and that I can't seem to make one no matter how hard I try (emphasis on I).

All of these reasons brought together made me dread the graduation looming ahead of me.

Until today.

After I picked up my cap and gown, I was thinking about the past three years I've spent at this school. There have been so many ups and downs, so many changes in my life, so many times that I've seen God at work, so many ways that I've seen myself grow, and so many answers to prayer.

The past few months have been rough. A lot has changed in my life, and to be honest, if you had asked me a year or two ago where I would've seen myself now, where I'm at now probably wouldn't have been my answer.

God's ways are not our ways, that's for sure!

As I was thinking, though, I was reminded how faithful God has been. While maybe this wasn't how I thought my life would be going, and maybe this isn't how I had planned it,  as I look back over the past year or two, and especially as I look back over the past few months, I can see God at work, His hand guiding me to where I'm at now.

I know that He is in control. He has a plan, and it is a good one.

So while I'm still scared about whatever life holds for me after graduation, while I still don't have a plan, I know that my God does.

He knows what is coming next.

He has a plan.

And He's led me this far, teaching me and showing me that He is good and He is trustworthy. Why should I start doubting Him now?

Yes, I'm still scared. But I'm also getting excited. I'm excited to see what He has in store, excited to see where He guides me, and excited to see how He continues to work!

One of my (latest) song obsessions is a song by Anthem Lights called "The Unknown." It's been especially applicable to my life as I near graduation. My favorite part of the song says this:

"Don't you know that your right at home in the unknown
I'm already there, I'm already there
Don't you know that you're not alone in the unknown 
I'm already there, I'm already there

So you don't need to know 
What tomorrow holds 
When you know 
The one who holds tomorrow"

As I near graduation from community college into the unknown, I'm confident that my God is in control, that He has a plan, and that my future is in His able and loving hands. So why fear?