Sometimes God puts you in a place for a purpose that you don’t understand yet. In my case, it was providing me with a full scholarship, seemingly out of nowhere, at a dream university that I believed was out of my reach.
Fast-forward a year later, and I’m a freshman in a big city, hundreds of miles from family, familiarity, and sweet tea. Uprooted from my church, my friends, and my support system, I couldn’t figure out why God would put me in a place that was not only strange, but filled with people who aren’t Christ-followers.
Yet God had a purpose for placing me here. A purpose that included learning how to defend my faith and what it means to be a light. My purpose here meant leading a Bible study on-campus when there wasn’t one and having my heart break when I heard the story of someone who is deaf and sat through years of church services without understanding a word because there was no interpreter. My purpose here is to radiate His light. The term ‘radiate’ means to share light or energy, and Matthew 5:16 tells us, “Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (ASV).
God has put me in this unique place for a unique purpose, just as He has done for you; whatever situation or location you’re in, it’s because God has a purpose for you being there. Today’s society tends to look three steps ahead in the future, instead of focusing on where we’re standing at the moment. Just because you aren’t sure yet why God has put you in this place, doesn’t mean He doesn’t have a purpose for putting you there. It’s actually quite the opposite: you’re standing where you’re at BECAUSE God has a purpose for you. When our eyes are looking ahead, we risk missing out on the purpose God has for us, right where we stand.
The following post was written by Kayla Head. Kayla is a senior at Gallaudet University with a double major in English and Communication Studies. She has a passion for writing, and plans to pursue a Master’s in Theology this fall. When she’s not in school or working, she can be found cooking or getting lost exploring.
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