Whenever I am going through a hard time or thinking through difficult decisions in my life, I like to spill my thoughts on paper. Today, while going through some old computer files and simultaneously looking at pictures of friends who are currently marching up the graduation stage, my mind was pierced. Something I wrote down amidst my bachelor’s program reminded me of something, something I think every Christian, college student needs to be reminded of daily. Sometimes the right choice is to quit college.
Let me explain myself before the parents in this virtual room start suffering stroke and heart palpitations. At the time I wrote in my journal on the evening of March 28, 2015, I was actively a nurse, working 40 hours a week from 7 pm to 7 am, while at the same time maintaining 15 credit hours to qualify for scholarship, a scholarship which required a faithful amount of time dedicated to leadership activities on campus. At least once a week, I was up for 24 to 36 hours at a time either working or going to class. I remember multiple occasions where I slept in my car on the side of the road for 3-4 hours because I had fallen asleep while stopped at a traffic light. There is one thing I haven’t even mentioned though. Amidst all this hustle and bustle…I was trying to be a Christian. I tried to maintain this lifestyle, but there was one thing I could not maintain.
“Because of school and work, I have been forced to put education over God and His church. No, I never missed a Sunday morning worship service, but there were times when I was working last year that I would work, eat, study, and sleep without ever picking up my Bible that week. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to necessarily, but I either literally did not have time, or when I did get a short break, I was exhausted and wanted only to relax or sleep,” (March 28, 2018).
I was starving myself of the bread of life (Matt. 4:4), and in the process, it led to sin. My conscience burned me up every day as I consistently succumbed to various lusts. On the outside I looked fine, but I knew that if I died at the next traffic light, God would say, “Depart from me. I never knew you,” (Matt. 7:23). My life was Amazing Grace, except now the lyrics were, “Once I could see, but now I am blind.” Yes, a Christian can so sin as to become eternally lost (Hebrews 3:12-19; 6:4-6; 10:26-31; Acts 8:13-23; Jude 5), and I was that Christian.
Where did I go wrong? I was doing exactly what parents and friends recommended. I was getting an education…at all costs. The problem was and is the cost. If Solomon were to have a son who went to college, he would tell him, “I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem… Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them… Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done…and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind,” (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11). Finishing college would never make me a millionaire, but it would define me as successful and dignified according to the American standard. But God is not American. “Christians” today let the cultural standard of success measure them, and I had unwittingly fallen into this bear trap.
What is the answer? The answer is NOT a piece of paper with calligraphy on it that may or may not be useful one day. The whole book of Ecclesiastes makes it clear that college is vanity, IF you lose your soul in the process. The answer is- radical measures. Jesus said in one place, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” In another place He follows up with, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell,” (Matt. 5:29). Here Jesus uses hyperbole and His point was this: sometimes you have to take radical measures in this life to avoid hell. That may mean you need to quit college. If you are where I was, quit. Your vain college degree is not worth going to hell. Even if everyone around you doesn’t understand and says you are crazy, quit. A college degree does have its benefits, but if you starve yourself of God’s word, prayer, and Christian fellowship in the process, you will end up making college a god.
This little article will be unpopular no doubt. I didn’t share this to be popular. Some people stopped reading half way through, but you didn’t. You didn’t stop reading because you are either in the same boat that I was, or you are a parent that has given their child the wrong measuring rod. There is still hope. You don’t HAVE to have that next degree which is calling your name. And while the answer is not always “Quit college!” sometimes this is the only sure way to save your soul. My 24/7 college routine was in no way atypical for a college student. Thank God Almighty that I made it out alive, and thank Him that you can make it alive too. Don’t be afraid to take the radical step. Don’t sell your soul to the devil.
Comments
So proud of your stand for the truth and sharing your journey!If your eye be single the whole body shall be full of light……well said little brother!
Aaron,
What wise words! Thank you. You are so right about this and I believe you could switch the words college and career or work, and those of us who find our selves “too busy” can learn from this too. You’re an inspiration. Now I am worried that your mom is just now learning you slept on the side of the road. 🙁😴
Matthew 16:26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
This is an excellent article. As one who went to college, worked at college, & even taught at college…I know exactly what you’re talking about. College isn’t for everyone & colleges are full of lost souls & wasted money. The college experience should be a choice & the pros & cons should be laid out for every Christian contemplating going to college. Every parent should ask themselves the question, “What is more important…a college degree or the condition of my child’s soul?” I gave my daughter the choice & she chose not to go, and I’m ok with that.
This was an excellent article to read. I have been struggling tremendously between the choice of quitting school or continuing my education, when God confronted me and told me the the only path I need to follow is the one the leads to Him. You are right when you say school is not for everyone as it caused me my relationship with God and allowed other idols into my life. I felt depressed, lost, and confused. Now, my focus is only to seek God and follow His commandments. This has brought a sense of joy and peace I cannot explain, but it is my evidence that before I was spiritually death and now I’m alive in Christ.
Aaron, you are so much more hard-working and stronger than I could ever be. I seriously commend you for your commitment to doing what you think is the right path for you. Society’s definition of success and God’s definition of success are almost polar opposites, and I’m glad you were able to make that tough decision to do what was morally right. I only work PT, and only doing 14 units, yet I want to drop out. Yes I may have my personal reasons, as do us all, but I am in a similar boat of putting God not as a priority due to school and sin. To some extent, they go hand and hand, and my breaking point was me doing the worst in my class on a test, only to spiral into a state of rage, lust and envy that no one understood my situation. The worst was me being mad at God, since his spirit guided me to read the Bible the night before the test, instead of studying like a diligent student. Whether it was my own ego of knowing the material, or indeed God’s divine plan, it was enough for me to spiral into a state of depression and worthlessness being the ‘worst’ student in the class. However, it was indeed a reality-check, as it showed me what I valued the most in life, as opposed to what every aspiring Christian should do. Praise Jesus, for I don’t deserve his blessings or forgiveness, but I pray that I’m on the right track to doing God’s plan with my worthless life!
Author
Hey Anthony, I appreciate your comment and transparency. To relate to your test story, there was a particular Wednesday night during my 3rd (?) semester of nursing school when I had to decide between going to church or staying home and studying for a big mid-term in the nursing course I was all but failing. I had already studied to the point of exhaustion and was extremely stressed; nonetheless, I felt if I didn’t stay home and study more I was risking failing the class. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t think it’s a sin to stay home from Wednesday night services. However, my parents raised me from birth to be at every church assembly if in my power. I debated that night in my mind; I thought to myself, I feel like I’m not trusting God if I stay home from worshiping Him just so I can study, which at this point may be fruitless given how exhausted I am. I ultimately prayed very hard that evening and went to services. I was glad I did. I was able to be around fellow Christians which was encouraging. One of the women at church asked me how school was going. I was so stressed that I broke down on her (which I never did in public) and was completely honest with her. She offered some words of encouragement. I took the text the next day, and I honestly can’t remember what grade I made (it wasn’t great). Either way, I didn’t fail the semester. That was a very specific moment in college where I had to make the decision (in my mind) between prioritizing God or school. The point is not, should every person’s conscience burn inside them when they have to decide between going to midweek church service or studying for midterms. The point is: the small decisions we make from day to day, when added up, make for a guiding life principle. If you prioritize school over God in the small things, over and over and over, you will look back four years down the road and realize, “Wow, I should have quit college before I let myself get that point.” I hope this little story encourages you to prioritize God all the time. God bless you