Think back over the week about how many times you have complained: “That stupid biology test”; “My car broke down”; “I hate my boss!”; “When is the semester going to be over?”; on and on. I’m just as guilty, but as I sat in church last Sunday and the pastor preached about faith, all I could do was sit and wonder where my faith had been earlier in the week. Is it okay to drop your faith when it’s convenient and pick it back up on Sunday in church?
College is definitely a time of opportunity as much as it is a time of disappointment. You will gain friends and succeed just as you will lose friends and fail. Have faith in yourself. Not in a vain or self-absorbed manner, but humbly.
There will be times when you’ll trust people you shouldn’t and do things you’re not so proud of; we all have skeletons in the closet, but be happy with yourself. No one is perfect, no matter how happy their lives seem to be on Facebook or Instagram. Trust me, those are usually the unhappiest people anyway.
Always take time for self reflection and examination. Are you happy with yourself? Are you happy with the person you are becoming? Seriously, be honest with yourself; if you are not happy, get to the root of the problem. The worst thing you can do is find a temporary plug to fill that hole; you’ll be worse off than you started.
It is important that as you transcend you not only grow as an individual but also in faith. Be faithful; whether you believe in God, Allah, Buddha or Para Brahman, be committed and devout. Commitment is not just about praying or giving an offering every Sunday; what may seem like insignificant changes are what matters.
Try to live by the good and charity within you, not just from the pews Sunday morning. Show faith when you’re really considering giving your manager a piece of your mind or when that same girl keeps tweeting your boyfriend. Trust me, I know it’s hard because the first thing we all want to do is probably what we shouldn’t do.
This week, I challenge you to keep positive people around you, think positive thoughts and be faithful. See what a difference it makes and watch you slowly become the person you have always wanted to be. In the words of Mother Teresa: “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”