Today is the first day of my Spring Break. It’s the last Spring Break I’ll ever get if I decide not to attend graduate school. And even though this break is supposed to be time off from school and everything that stresses the typical student out, my mind is not completely at ease. As a matter of fact, like most students about to graduate, this is typically the most stressful time of a college career.

I’ve got so many decisions to make in the next couple of months – and it’s tough to stay calm and trust in God sometimes, trust that He has everything in control. But, He does.

And despite the natural human tendency to keep everything in control and think we have everything covered, we do have to let go and give it all to God. So, the looming decision of a new job or graduate school somewhere can be put to rest in Him.

Prayer, although frustrating at times for those who struggle with impatience, is powerful. Reaching out to God and talking to Him about major decisions in your life is always an option – a highly suggested one at that. God wants you to talk to Him about your problems, even though He does already know about them. He wants to know that you want to go to Him first for all troubles and trials in your life – big or small.

The Bible is a big help, too. Reading the Bible regularly helps to have a clearer understanding for the bigger picture. While I’m over here biting my nails about a decision that can easily be remedied if I change my mind, I can fail to see that God has already given me a large to-do list focusing on things much smaller and more detail-oriented.

Before I even consider such a decision, am I in the right place to be making it? The right frame of mind?

Consider this. How are you living out your daily life? Are we being spiritually fed? Reading our Bible? Praying? Is our relationship with God a healthy one? How about our mentality?

God calls us to live a life filled with love for ourself and others. He challenges us to live with a pure heart and mind, to be patient, kind, joyful and put God in the center of everything we do. Above all else, He is the most important piece in the puzzle of life.

Now, let’s revisit the decision making process we started earlier. How daunting does the decision seem now? Sure, it may still make some feel uneasy. That’s normal. But, maybe it’s allowed some pause for reflection, a breather before committing to something that… if you were thinking more about what God wants and less about worldly wants, might’ve chosen differently. And sometimes that’s pretty difficult to distinguish.

Ultimately, yes, God does have a plan for you, and it’s okay that you don’t always know whether to take a right or left when you reach a fork in the road. That’s for God to know only, sometimes. It’s where trust comes into play and you have to lean on His understanding, not your own.

So, for me, though I am still praying for direction, I’ve decided to pray more for patience, openness, understanding, passion for His will, strength and wisdom to make good choices and knowledge of how to love myself and others.

I know no matter what path I take, God has a plan for me – and He will make it happen one way or another. If it’s at a grad school in Tennessee or taking a full-time job somewhere – or maybe even just waiting and letting things play out however they may – I know God’s the one steering this ship. And He won’t let me fail, let me sink. He’s always got me covered. And the same is true for you.

So, whatever decisions you may be struggling with today, just take a moment to pause and really reflect with God. Let Him show you all the great things He has in store for you – and that He’s got much bigger plans than whatever has caused your mind to fret or worry.

You don’t have to be strong when you’ve got an awesome heavenly father. He provides all the strength and wisdom you need.

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.”

Proverbs 19:2 – “Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who makes haste with his feet errs.”

Proverbs 16:2 – “All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives.”

Proverbs 18:1 – “He who separates himself seeks his own desire. He quarrels against all sound wisdom.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”