Four Pieces of Advice for Graduates

From Gospel Translations

With graduation season almost upon us, here are four pieces of advice for both high school and college graduates (and reminders for all of us, in any stage of life).

1. Ask God to speak to you through His Word. Something I encourage you to do every day is to go before the Lord and say, “God, open your Word to me, and open my heart to your Word. Let Your book always be very important to me—not simply as words on a page, but as a tool of your indwelling Holy Spirit.”

Evaluate your spiritual life and ask Him to speak to you through His Word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to give you the ability to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

2. Seek to do everything to God’s glory. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Isn’t that interesting? It doesn’t say, “Whether you spend time in the Word, evangelize, go out in foreign missions, pray, and attend church, do it all to the glory of God.” (Though those things are certainly important.) No—it says to glorify Him when you’re eating and drinking and in every other simple, basic thing.

Don’t draw a line in your life between the secular and the sacred. Your whole life should be one of devotion to Him, so that when you’re working in a mundane job, playing sports, listening to music—whatever you’re doing—you’ll be doing it for Christ’s glory.

3. Remind yourself of God’s promises and your responsibility before Him. Throughout the day, continually remind yourself that Christ is in You, He is with you, and He has promised you an eternity with Him. Remember that Christ has given you gifts and a sphere of influence, and He’s entrusted money and material things to you that He calls upon you to share with others. Ask Him to use you as His vessel wherever you go and in whatever you do.

4. Make it all about Jesus. He says that if you want to save your life, you’re going to lose it (Matthew 16:25). If everything you do is all about you and making your life the way you want it, you’re in danger of following the rich fool’s example (Luke 12:13-21). But Jesus says that if you lose your life for His sake, you’ll find it. That’s the fulfilling life of following Christ.