Jesus Walks Among Us

Story 7: Unsure About The Future

A high school student gets on her laptop and goes to a website where a college application page is waiting. She begins filing out the form. She spends several hours on the laptop. Suddenly her door opens and her mom enters.

"Beth, I have been calling you for the past hour. What have you been doing?"

Beth doesn't respond and keeps typing. Beth's mom walks up to the laptop and closes it.

"Mom! I was halfway done!" Beth yells.

"You have become too stressed over this! Ever since the end of junior year, nothing has been on your mind except for college which is fine but you have made it the only thing that you care about."

"This college is important to me. How can I be anyone if I don't make it in."

"A wonderful person and a brilliant one."

"Yeah well that's not enough. I have to complete homework and study for my tests. I have too much to do in order to get ready."

"That's it! I didn't want to do this but I'm taking you to a counselor."

"What! No!"

The next day, Beth's mom drives her to a college counselor.

"Hello, I am Jesùs, the college counselor here. I help high school students deal with the pressures of getting into college."

"I will pick you up later, Beth," Beth's mom says as she heads to her car.

Beth and Jesús head inside and enter a room.

"Please take a seat," Jesús says, sitting down.

Beth sits down in a green chair.

"So your mother told me that you are stressed about college?"

"No I am fine! I just want to make it in and I am trying to work hard."

"So you don't feel overwhelmed?"

Beth thinks for a moment.

"Well, I do feel a little stressed out but what do you expect?"

"Why do you want to get into this college so badly?"

"I want to pursue my dreams and live the life I always wanted to."

"You are so worried about living the life that is going to be that you are forgetting to live the life that is now."

"This college will make me successful. This college will make me happy."

"Can I ask you something?" Jesús asks. "Will anything truly make you happy?"

"Well I just want to help people and there is nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Of course not, but you should not define yourself by what college you go to. You are letting this college control your life."

"Well it is where I am going to get my career so it kind of has to."

"You're missing my point. You won't be truly happy getting into this college. In fact all that it has been doing so far is stressing you out and preventing you from seeing what truly gives you happiness and success. This college and the career that you are following are temporary. So why be defined by something temporary?"

"I am just unsure about my future."

"Who isn't unsure about their future? No one knows what tomorrow is going to be like and why would you want to? You should enjoy each day and not let tomorrow stress you out."

"What kind of a college counselor are you?"

"I am trying to tell you something that not many other counselors will tell you and that is instead of being defined by a temporary goal, be defined by something that is eternal."

"Like what?"

Jesús gets up and heads into his office. He walks back out with a Bible in his hand and gives it to Beth.

"This book will help you find out more about the truth. How to know the way."

"What do you mean by "truth?" How can I possibly know the way?"

Jesús shakes his head.

"Beth, I am the way, the truth, and the life."

A look of confusion enters Beth's face.

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

"I am Jesus Christ, Beth."

Beth's hands begin to shake. She leans back in her chair in disbelief.

"I have heard about you. But I didn't think you were real."

"I know, Beth."

"Why see me? What have I done to deserve your help?"

"That's the beautiful part about this relationship. You haven't done anything to deserve it and yet I still want to help us you. But that's not what I am here to discuss, Beth. I know that you have a million questions but I am not meant to answer all of them. At least not now."

"I see."

"Let me ask you something, Beth. Why do you worry yourself out about the future? Why not just let me take care of your future?"

"I have always thought that I need to take care of my own future and not rely on anyone else."

"But you see, that is not true, Bethany. I am the one who is qualified to take care of your future. I can handle what happens tomorrow. Your job is to only focus on today."

"I understand."

"I hope that you choose to have a relationship with me so that I can continue helping you"