I remember my first day of college as one of the happiest moments of my life. But when my family loaded the car and drove away, reality hit me like a wave. What had possessed me to choose a school so far from home, away from everything and everyone familiar? Before stepping foot on campus, I thought I had made the right decision—until I was alone, surrounded by strangers, wondering where I fit in.
After a few days, the excitement wore off, and the loneliness set in. I picked up the phone and called my mother. “I need to come home,” I told her. “I’m homesick.” But the truth was, I was craving the comfort of the familiar. She listened patiently for a minute before she interrupted me.
“We will always be here for you, but this next journey in your life is yours to figure out. It won’t be easy. You’ll face challenges, and some will test you. But you will get through them. God has prepared you for this moment, and you are so much stronger than you realize.” Then she finished with words I’ll never forget—“I’m so proud of the man you are becoming.” And before I could respond, she hung up.
As I walked back to my dorm room, I didn’t say, I can’t let my family down. I can’t let my friends down. No. I said, I can’t let myself down. I hadn’t even given myself a chance, and yet, I was ready to run. But it was my choice to be here, and my responsibility to see it through. So I stayed. And it was one of the best decisions of my life.
Maybe for you, it’s not college. Maybe you’re wrestling with the decision to start that business, to go back to school, or to finally walk away from a job that no longer serves you. Maybe you feel stuck, paralyzed by fear, waiting for a sign, a voice, or someone to tell you that you’re making the right choice. But your destiny isn’t up for debate. It’s between you and God.
Sometimes, we want people to hold our hands through the hard times, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But in life, you will have to make some tough decisions on your own. Not everyone will understand. Not everyone will agree. Some will call you foolish. Others will say you’re making a mistake. But your destiny isn’t up for debate. It’s between you and God.
Stop overthinking. Stop waiting for outside validation. Sometimes, the answer is already in front of you, but you’re too busy seeking approval to see it. Fear will keep you frozen, but God is calling you forward.
God never promised the journey would be easy, but He did promise He would never leave you. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). So while you wait, prepare. And where does preparation start? In the mind.
How many times have you shared your vision with someone, only for them to talk you out of it? You go to another person, hoping for a different response, but they discourage you too. Before you know it, you’re right back where you started—doubting yourself, stuck in fear, further from the path God set for you.
Your mistake? You sought people’s approval before seeking God’s direction. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3).
There will always be people who say you can’t or won’t. Not because you aren’t capable, but because they’re afraid you will. They didn’t take the leap, so they don’t want you to either. But their fear is not your future.
Stop waiting for people to affirm what God already confirmed. The only approval you need is His. And when you trust Him, He will align the right people in your life—people who will celebrate your greatness and push you toward your purpose.
Paul said in Galatians 1:10, “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
I think back to my mother’s words. In that moment, her advice didn’t erase my fear—but it did something far greater. It awakened something inside me. It reminded me that I wasn’t just some lost, uncertain young man trying to find his way—I was called. I was equipped. And I wasn’t walking this path alone.
God had already gone before me. He had already prepared the way. But I had to believe that for myself. My mother saw something in me that I had yet to see in myself. She spoke life into me, silencing the doubts before they had the chance to take root. And in that moment, I made a decision. Not just to stay, but to stand—on my faith, on my calling, and on the promise that God had placed inside of me.
And that’s what He is saying to you right now. You may feel uncertain. You may feel afraid. But God has already gone ahead of you. He has already equipped you. And now, it’s time for you to believe it. To step into it. To rise up and walk in the confidence that He has called you for something greater.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank You for preparing me for this moment. Thank You for never leaving me, even when I’ve doubted myself. Today, I choose to trust You. I release fear, doubt, and the need for approval. I walk in faith, knowing that You have already equipped me for the road ahead. Strengthen me, guide me, and help me to see myself the way You see me.
