As a college student, my season is surrounded by eager expectations. I’ve heard about so many dreams waiting to be fulfilled, goals wanting to be achieved, and entire futures ready to be reached. But all those things can feel so distant, almost like we’re just waiting for real life to begin.
How often are we frustrated by waiting? Whether it’s for a doctor’s appointment, promotion, or a relationship, the things we wait for can feel like things we’re missing out on in the moment. We can perceive the present as meaningless or, at the least, not the fullness of what God has for us.
Beyond our present circumstances, walking with God means joining the greatest wait the spiritual saints before us also endured. Our lives exist within the promise of heaven, but there’s also the promise of Jesus’s return. We have much to look forward to (Romans 8:24-25).
Expectations may begin in eagerness, but when the awe fades, dullness arrives. When our Bibles close, we can look around at the world and believe that God exists only there, not in our current circumstances.
We may be waiting for someday, but we aren’t waiting alone, and God calls us into today. God doesn’t expect our waiting to be passive. God’s people have always waited, but the church keeps moving forward.
That’s the thing about hope. It doesn’t slow us down or make us pause. Unlike sitting in a waiting room or standing in line at the grocery store, the waiting God calls us to is hopeful and purposeful living. On a smaller scale, that’s what I love about college. Everyone is full of “not yet” dreams, but they’re all still working to build the futures they haven’t quite reached. That’s what makes this season of life so exciting.
God is so good to give us something to anticipate. The wait will be over one day. For now, may your hope cause you to walk closer with God. Let the roots of God’s hope grow deep into your life as you trust that you’ll see the fruit of His promises both then and now.
Sydney Alena is a college student pursuing an education in English. As a young woman, she feels called to write on issues pertaining to her generation. Additionally, she’s heavily involved with her church and college ministry.