Advice

I am pretty terrible at giving advice. I usually have to think and overthink an issue before I get a good idea of how things should go, and usually by then the problem is over. I don't have a lot of life experience. I go by what I observe and what I hear and what I feel, all of which I know can be misleading.

So what do I trust if I can't trust my own understanding?

I suppose I should "Trust in the LORD with all [my] heart and lean not on [my] own understanding," but that is ridiculously hard. I don't think it is emphasized enough how hard it really is to believe in Christianity. I don't know how many times I have sat back and looked at how crazy my beliefs truly are. A man in ancient Israel who is actually God incarnate lives, preaches amazing things, and is crucified. Then, he comes back to life, conquering death and saving us all from ourselves (if we so choose)! He moves in all of us through the Holy Spirit, which changes our outlook on the world from our heart outward.

Incredible, no? I completely understand why people think we are weird! Sometimes we've been around this message so long, we compare it to the simplicity of 2+2=4 (which, if you take math philosophy, may not be so simple. But we wont talk about that. You're welcome.), and when people don't get it we get frustrated with them. What if someone asked you to take a red pill and allow some other spirit being to come in and change your life? Would you do it?

Another thing that often strikes me is how late in Christs life his ministry began: 30 years old. I feel like I am so often pressured to "use my college years for the glory of God! Go Go Go on missions! Its the best time ever to do so!" And I suppose it is the best time physically, but I feel like I'm cramming for some sort of test (I feel the same way about our education system, but I wont talk about that either. You're welcome again.). Why did Jesus wait until he was 30? To gain enough life experience to have a good ministry and an accurate assessment of the human condition? To grow out of adolescence and not have hormones racing through his body all the time? In essence, to become mature? Was Christ always mature? Did he cry as a baby? I'm only speculating, but it gives me something to wonder about, and encourages me in the fact that I don't have to have something spectacular happening in my life yet to be considered a Good Child of God.

In case you couldn't tell from my other posts, I am very insecure about myself and my future and my place in life. I suppose its the college condition.

So back to my point, I am still unsure of my ability as of now to give advice. If someone asks me what to do, and I don't have an answer, I kinda feel like a jerk or a bad friend or something. I want to help, but advice is not my strongest suit. I feel ridiculously immature. If I don't know what I'm supposed to do, how should I know what someone else is supposed to do?

I've been learning to pray whenever I am confused about something like this. Writing helps too, though. It organizes my jumbled, scattered thought process and puts it in plain, simple English. And even though I am still confused, I am now confused with a clear mind.