Guest Commentary

October 15, 2001

God is trying to get your attention

Josh Renaud
Guest commentator

About a month after the attacks, most of us are trying to return to "normal."

There is a hollow comfort to be found in the noise and busyness of "normal" life. When we push ourselves back into the daily grind or veg-out to the relentless media spew, it can help us to ignore the sensitive issues and needs exposed in each of us by the national tragedy.

But drowning out the still, small voice that is speaking to us is a tragedy, too. We are missing an amazing opportunity!

There is more to life than what most of us live for. Anyone who put their faith in material possessions, in other people, in government, in the economy, or anything else saw that faith obliterated when the World Trade Center towers were destroyed.

When Rudy Giuliani went on the David Letterman show a few weeks ago, he said he realized that he was powerless. The situation was out of his control. It was in the hands of God.

This is what unnerved so many of us: the realization that we are powerless; that maybe we've been living for the wrong things.

There's an old children's Sunday school song called "He's got the whole world in His hands." You know something? Being in God's hands is the best place to be, especially in times of uncertainty like this.

God tells us in the Bible "I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."

As people, we naturally like to make our own plans. I'm a student. I sometimes spend way too much time trying to figure out where I'll be years from now. I know students, professors and administrators who are consumed with where they're going next, and what they need to do now to get there.

But our plans, no matter how elaborate or well-thought-out, are worthless. In times like these, we realize no matter how hard we try, our own efforts lead to nothing.

That's why God is trying to get your attention now. He has a plan for your life, one that will satisfy you. Jesus said "I come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly." When we put our trust in Him, rather than in the people or the things around us, life has purpose. He fulfills us in ways nothing or nobody else can.

It's difficult to come to a place where we are willing to follow God's plan. It means giving up control of our lives to Him. But in doing so, we find true freedomÑa freedom that can't be found any other way.

So, what will you do? I urge you to respond to Him. Seek out a good Bible study on campus or visit a church. Move out of your comfort zone.

God's calling you, so answer Him. Don't settle for "normal" anymore.

This article was reprinted with permission from The Current.


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