Learning doesn't stay in the classroom

We are always learning in life whether you like to consider yourself a student or not, it’s inevitable to learn something everyday. You learn something new about a person, about a job, about yourself, about anything. Learning isn’t a bad thing; there’s nothing wrong about not knowing everything. No one is dismissed from learning.

My love for learning is a part of my personality. I’ve always read for fun, enjoyed research papers and studying for tests. As a post-grad I miss the classroom the most. I miss the structure of a class schedule and assigned reading and writing. However, I love all the time that I now have. I get to set my own daily schedule as a post-grad. I’m not obligated to do things I don’t enjoy. I’m in the career I want, I read what I want, I write what I want and I’m happy.

I carry my past accomplishments with me everyday, and I’m happy that those seasons have passed and I get to jump into a new season in life. Owning up to these new responsibilities in my life is not only teaching me things about myself, but it’s reminding me that I will always be a student, even if I’m not in a classroom.

I set time for daily devotionals and this week I learned that God is our teacher and we are His students, if we want to be.

When we learn things we associate the lesson or news to the right places in our lives and minds. We organize our minds around lessons and news. And we move forward with those lessons in mind.

“This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go,” Isaiah 48:17. God teaches us what’s best for us. He shows us and works with us. He puts us in certain places and times to teach us and show us what is best for us. We must be open and willing to learn. We are always students — His students, to learn what’s best for us.

Then He directs us to the way we should go. At times, we go to places we think we should be, or that we think is the best place we need to be to succeed or to be happy, when really we’re in the wrong place. But if we listen to God and learn from Him we can be in the best place for us.

The best place for others may not be the best place for you. When we reach for a goal that’s not the best for us we miss out on what’s meant for us; we are then overworked, stressed and feel inadequate or like a failure.

Instead, really ask yourself if you're doing what you want to do. If not, you're not following what's best for you. Why live a life you're unhappy with? Know your skills, know your passion and follow the best path God has for you to lead you to what's best for you.

Edited April 2021