“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
As a child, I hated being asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It seemed that everyone had such a clear idea – they knew they wanted to be a veterinarian, teacher, doctor, comedian – while I had no idea what to make of the endless array of choices before me. It turns out that this question seems to follow you wherever you go, morphing ever so slightly to fit the stage of life you’re in. In high school, it was “What do you want to study in college?” Then in college, it shifted to “Where do you want to work?” and now, I’m still being asked “What is your plan for the future?” While there’s nothing wrong with these questions and, in fact, they have personally encouraged me to move beyond complacency to proactiveness, there is this sense that we, as humans, are always yearning to know what’s next.
As I was reading Finding the Will of God, one statement Bruce Waltke made struck me: “God normally does not want us to know his specific plan for us.” I sat on this for a moment. For so long, I wanted so badly for God to just tell me what was next for me. In high school, I didn’t know which college would make those 4 years the best of my life. At UVA, I didn’t know whether to choose between business or statistics. Now, I’m asking in which industry God wants me to use my data science degree. My prayers did not necessarily come out of a motivation to have the best school, job, or life, but to simply be obedient to the Lord. However, I became so fearful of making the wrong choice and somehow messing up his will for my life. The next sentence in the book reads, “Instead, he wants us to face the future through faith in him.” How powerful. I’m undone by the sovereignty and compassion of a Lord that not only cares to write the story of our lives, complete with all its twists and turns, but also promises to be with us through it.
I entered this fellows year yearning to figure out how God is calling me to integrate my faith into my vocation. Fortunately, this year I have the honor of working at a nonprofit called The Network that uses data driven strategies to combat human trafficking in the U.S. It has opened my eyes to the ways data science could bring freedom to the oppressed and advance God’s mission in the world. It has also been a beautiful picture to me of how the Lord can answer prayers in ways I couldn’t imagine, not because I controlled the plan for my life, but because I allowed him to lead me in his better one. I may not know what my future holds, but I know I can rest in the one who holds it.
About the Author
Serene Lu is a member of the Fourth Fellows Class of 2024-2025. She is from McLean, Virginia and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. This year, she is working for The Network.
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