When I first heard about investing my summer, I couldn’t believe that not everyone just went home. I figured I’d take some classes, make some money, and live with my parents, but then I began the process of discovering what would be my best investment. You can do the same!
Wait, but why would I invest?
Most people ask how are you going to ‘spend’ your summer, but let’s challenge ourselves to not just spend ourselves, let’s invest them.
To invest means to devote as for the purpose of achieving something. Investing has an end purpose in mind.
I came to college with the end goal to do something ‘BIG’ with my life, that purpose became more clearly defined as I began to follow Christ. I began thinking about how to invest my money, relationships, and time differently! Jesus says in Luke “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily.”
If I wanted to achieve something, I had to devote something—in this case we’re talking about our summer.
First ask, ”What are my options?”
Sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and logically think through options. The options used here are my own—yours will probably look different, but you can still ask the same questions.
Then I ask the question, “What will each of these options allow me to invest in?”
Finally, ”Which of these options will being me closer to Christ?”
Most options that we would consider for our summers: get a job, study abroad, summer camp, etc. are probably all good options, but we’re looking for the BEST. Many times the enemy of the BEST in our lives is settling for the good.
SEEK COUNSEL
This is when I would seek out Godly counsel—someone who is older and more mature than you in their walk with God. This person can bring about a level of wisdom that no one else can. They can also give is greater insight into what’s best for us.
If we want to know Christ deeply then Philippians 3:8 must come to mind, ”What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.”
We will never regret steps that we take to know God more. Just as David felt in Psalm 27:4 ”One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall see: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life..” May we also desire to dwell with God by making the decision to follow God’s word and to never pass up an opportunity for spiritual development.
As followers of Jesus it’s also our privilege and responsibility to develop in our relationship with Him. In Luke 12:48 we can see God promises ”…to whom much has been given, all the more will be expected.” We’ve been given the greatest gift of knowing who Jesus is!
By Bethany P
