For the next several articles, you will read the thoughts from anonymous individuals that I interviewed from Lehigh Valley Baptist Church (see colored quotes). We talked about the transition from childhood to adulthood, the single years, how spouses were met, and how they ultimately chose to pursue God and His will for their life. We pray you too will be bold enough to be different, to stand for truth.
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As you transition to the next phase of life, adulthood, maybe you know exactly what the Lord wants you to do with your life, and maybe you do not. Either way, it is important to prioritize the right things after graduation. These years will pave the way to a successful future if you choose to invest in them wisely.
Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”Joshua 1:8
1. Cultivate a Real Relationship with the Lord.
One of the most important things you must do before anything else is to examine your relationship with the Lord. Have you truly repented & called on Him in faith? Have you truly given the Lord control of your life? Are you seeing His fruit in your life? Do you truly KNOW That you KNOW Him. If you are unsure about your relationship with the Lord, seek out a Godly mentor, to help you with this. This is STEP 1.
Next, you must pursue a vibrant living real relationship with Christ. The same way you build a relationship with a friend, is how you should be growing in your relationship with Christ. This means investing time and communicating regularly. Are you reading God’s word every day and meditating on His words? Are you taking time alone to pray with Him each day? Maybe you need to pick a specific time in your day and make an appointment with God to make this time happen. Consider a nature walk, sitting on your porch, or going for a drive in your car (without music on). Talk to the Lord about everything and journal as you see God’s promises and instructions fleshed out in the scriptures.
“Now is the time to develop your relationship with the Lord, regardless of how busy you are. Develop consistency and dig deep. Let God direct your life. Have faith in Him and know that He has your best interest in mind. This will come from a close relationship with Him.”
If this real relationship is not present, the next steps will be hard for you to do. As a Godly young adult in today’s world, you will need to walk counter to the culture around you. You can only do this with the Lord’s strength.
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand…And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…”Ephesians 6:13, 17-18
2. Surround Yourself with Godly Friendships.
Friendships after high school can be hard to maintain because you are no longer seeing them every day at school. This means these friendships must be cultivated. You are affected by who you hang around with, so now is also an ideal time to examine those friendships, asking yourselves if these friends are helping or hurting your spiritual walk with the Lord. If they are hurting, then it is time to distance yourself from them and make new friendships. The Lord created fellowship to help us grow in our spiritual lives and to keep us accountable.
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Growing our friendships, is a life-long journey, and close friendships do not just happen overnight. If you do not currently have at least one good friend in your life, you can start today by being friendly to others. Consider joining a Sunday school table or taking a Bible Institute course or getting involved in a new ministry. This will help you to get to know others who are often wanting to grow and serve the Lord, as you do. Then, be bold, introduce yourself, and invite them out for ice cream or over for a family game night.
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”Proverbs 16:24
“Surround yourself with honest godly woman who are at all stages of life. Avoid cliches and bubbles. It is important to see different perspectives and to have friends of different ages.”
“One of our best resources for true friendships are among our family members. Be sure you are prioritizing time with your family members, especially if you have siblings. Your family is God’s gift to you and He has placed them in your life to encourage, pray for and influence.”
“Watch out as you are building your friendships. Unless you are in a committed relationship heading to marriage, avoid close friendships with the opposite sex. Even with the best intentions, it is very hard to maintain a neutral close friendship without emotions getting entangled, and the wrong expectations communicated. The blessing is that God designed it this way but that close relationship is to be reserved for marriage. Just imagine how you would feel if you were married and your spouse was getting personal texts from someone else. What if they got together often or spent long periods of time always talking at church, just the two of them? Would there be something wrong with that? Yes, absolutely! In your single years, you must not only guard your physical purity, but also your emotional purity.”
Once the Lord, shows you which friendships he wants you invest in, be patient and get together regularly based on your schedule and life stage. As you get become more comfortable, you can grow your friendship to a different level, experiencing true Biblical fellowship. Share what the Lord is teaching you in your personal time with Him, share prayer requests and consider doing a Bible or Book Study together.
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”Proverbs 27:17
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There are many more priorities that are important to focus on in this next stage of your life. “Cultivating a Real Relationship with the Lord” & “Surrounding Yourself with Godly Friendships” are two of the most important places to start. Look for Part 2 as we talk about some more things you can do after graduation in my next article.
Want to Dig a Little Deeper? Check out these resources.
- How to Have a Real Relationship With God: The Work of the Holy Spirit in A Person’s Life by Dr. Terry L. Coomer
- Girls Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendships in a Lonely World by Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson
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Suzanne has been married to Dean, her high school sweetheart, for 24 years. She is a former Elementary Teacher and homeschooling mom with two now adult children. Jeremiah is 22 and Ruth is 19. Suzanne was saved in 1998 and has been a faithful member of Lehigh Valley Baptist Church since that time. She enjoys reading, snuggling with her new puppies, encouraging others and using her “Happy Planner.” Suzanne is a first-generation Christian and knows all about the struggles of striving to be a Godly wife, mother and servant of Christ. She hopes to encourage you with the wisdom that she has learned through the years and is still learning.
Comments 1
Great writing Suzanne! Lots to consider
Gayle Purks