It’s that time of year…GRADUATION!…SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER!
(The above photo is from when my son and my “other sons” were graduating from high school back in 2014. I’m sure you feel the same way.)
You youngins, enjoy! It is time for celebration. You remained steadfast for thirteen years in school. Sure, you’ve had your ups and downs, successes and failures, gain and loss of friends, yada yada yada. Ugh…remember middle school? Some of you may choose to completely forget about it. (Say that with a New Jersey accent, “forget about it”.) Whether you were considered an athlete, intellect, artsy, introvert, extrovert, the attention seeker or the loner, you survived. CELEBRATE!
Before I bombard you with a plethora of bible verses for you to hold on to as you begin your next adventure, here’s an exciting, powerful, and wise verse I discovered in Ecclesiastes 11:9. I think you’ll be like, “Sweet, God! Thanks for the permission”:
So young people, enjoy yourselves while you are young. Be happy. Do whatever your heart leads you to do. Do whatever you want,
Woohoo!!! Party time! Wait a minute…is that a comma at the end? Oh, hang on, God’s not done yet. Here’s the rest of verse 9:
but remember that God will judge you for everything you do. (ERV)
Yep, there’s always a consequence to the choices we make in life. I’m sure you’ve heard that from parents and teachers before, well…God said so too. He actually reminds us of that often throughout the bible.
Yes, you are young, so enjoy yourselves. It’s not that you can’t enjoy yourself when you’re older. I do for sure. It’s just that right now you don’t have all the responsibilities in life that will lie ahead of you. Enjoy yourself! Choose wisely, and you’ll truly have more fun.
Be happy. I like to air on the side of “being happy” at any age and any stage in life. I’ve learned that life is short. Embrace each day. You will have troubles and trials, but thank God for and embrace the lessons you will learn from them. Be happy!
Do whatever your heart leads you to do. Here’s the catch: In Jeremiah 17:9-10 we read, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”
I want to encourage you to do as Proverbs 3:5-7 instructs us to do: Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. With every step you take, think about what He wants, and He will help you go the right way. Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil.
There are times in life that you want to rebel against wise instruction, and you want to do whatever you want to do. (That doesn’t just happen in those teen years either.) If you read in Romans 7 you’ll see all kinds of “do” and “don’t do” and the struggle is real between our sinful selves and holy living. When you are faced with choices, have your focus on Christ and strive to see the perspective in the light of God’s grace and mercy. Boy oh boy will this take self-discipline. But…you can do it! You can! When you are a Christian, self-control is one of the fruit that was entrusted to you. Cultivate that fruit and use self-control.
This is where the rest of verse nine continues…BUT…. There’s that word.
Here is the same verse in The Message translation:
You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it. (MSG)
Yep, you are responsible for everything you do. (See Galatians 6:5.)
I want to congratulate you on your success! If your next adventure is college, or the workforce, or traveling a bit…be happy, have fun, and pursue greatness! Be free! Remember that true freedom is found in Christ. (See Romans 8.)
I pray that you will be wise in your decisions. The choices you make don’t only affect you, but others around you, and the effects aren’t just temporary. Think about your future. You’ll make mistakes in life, we all do, but please learn from others’ troubles.
God is with you. He loves and adores you. Seek Him daily. Keep your focus on Christ.
Now for all those plethora of bible verses:
- “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.” Jeremiah 29:11
- “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
- “Depend on the Lord in whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3
- “He had great success in everything he did because the Lord was with him.” 1 Samuel 18:14
- “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:11-12
- “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Hebrew 10:36
- “If my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
- “This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
- “I will instruct you and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress.” Psalm 32:8
- “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
- “By standing firm you will gain life.” Luke 21:19
- “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6
- “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Print these out. Mark them in your bible. Write them on index cards. Keep God’s word close to your heart.
Many blessings to you and yours,
Mrs. Stephanie/ Momma Shuff