You know the feeling. It's late at night, and you need sleep, but your head is spinning. You know where you want to go to college, but you have no idea how you'll pay for it. And you're worried—worried you might have to turn down your top choice for a less-expensive college. Worried you'll spend the next 20 years paying off the massive student loans. You lie there, tossing and turning, waiting for the worries to fade…but they don't. The future feels way beyond your control. And it is. But the great news is that your future is in someone's control—God's. And he wants you to give him all your worries about paying for college. How? By keeping in mind—and taking to heart—three important principles:
1) God is your provider. Worry is a natural reaction when we don't know what the future holds. But Jesus reminds us that God will always provide us with everything we need (Matthew 6:25-34, CEV):
"I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing? … Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields. … He will surely do even more for you!"
Here's something to do the next time you take a walk through a park: Find a flower or a colorful leaf and tuck it into your Bible. Use it to remind yourself of Jesus' message about worrying.
2) Trust God with the details. Trusting God with the little details of our lives can be hard. Still, trusting God is the only way to get rid of our worries: "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track" (Proverbs 3:5-6, The Message). Over the next week, end each day with a prayer asking God to take control of your worries. If you're not sure what to pray, rewrite Philippians 4:6-7 as a prayer.
3) Let God be your guide. What happens when we let God lead us on our day-to-day journey? Proverbs 3:23-26 offers these thoughts: "You'll travel safely, you'll neither tire nor trip. You'll take afternoon naps without a worry, you'll enjoy a good night's sleep. No need to panic over alarms or surprises, or predictions that doomsday's just around the corner. Because God will be right there with you; he'll keep you safe and sound" (The Message). As you prepare for college, look for the ways God is keeping his promise to take care of your future. Thank him each time he helps you through some financial hurdle or difficulty. Be sure to lean on him each step of the way. As you do, you'll no doubt one day look back and say, "What was I worried about?"
Written by Carla Barnhill
