Have you experienced the quarter-life crisis before?
If you have, bless your soul. We hope you’re reading this from the other side. If you haven’t, well…bless your soul. We’ll be praying for you as you make it through.
The quarter-life crisis is likened as the middle-aged crisis for emerging adults. It’s a transitionary period marked by uncertainty around the direction and quality of one’s life.
For example, in the last 12-months, have you felt the pressure to acquire a six-figure profession, stop global warming, drop to a size 00, and start a family within 25 business days?
Have your days become weighted with thoughts saying you should be anywhere else than where you currently are? In a different city or social standing? In a different life?
Well let’s start off by saying, you’re not alone.
Recent studies have shown that 86% of women under 35, believe they went, or are going through, some sort of a quarter-life Crisis.
Social media is a major contributor to this phenomenon. Our perception of ourselves is consistently challenged by volatile trends and access to the often fabricated lives of our peers.
Learning to become an adult is already difficult. Add in the current digital culture and it’s easy to find yourself stuck trying to figure out who you are, who you’re expected to be, and who you really want to be.
Success, satisfaction in one’s life, is subjective. What it looks like for you isn’t necessarily what it’ll look like for me. So how can you define it for yourself?
The answer lies in your faith. Developing an unyielding confidence in God and his love for you through every season, every challenge, and every question. He already knows EXACTLY who you are and in him you can find rest from the endless expectations of the world.
So how can you use your faith to break free from the quarter-life crisis?
Stay grounded in the Word of God. God’s Word, or the Bible, gives us wisdom, direction and perspective.
It reminds us that God will complete his work in us (Philippians 2:13) and that he has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:1). That there’s a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) and that we should pray about everything, casting our anxieties on him (1 Peter 5:7).
God is the one constant in life. Discover the truth in his words and you’ll be guided from the crippling anxieties of a quarter-life crisis to the reward of resting in the fact that he’s enough, and that because of that, you are, too.
What God’s Word Has To Say About Our Anxieties
This passage from the book of Matthew offers sound advice on how we can combat a quarter-life crisis.
So do not worry, saying, ‘what shall we eat?’ or ‘what shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’ For pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:31-33 NIV
Allow this verse to penetrate your heart, and remember this:
Social Media is Fleeting. The Word of God is Solid.
Have you seen that filter going around social media? The one where women reveal what they truly look like without the photo altering tools provided online?
This filter is great, because it displays the accessibility anyone online has to create a fabricated version of themselves. Not everything is as it appears on the surface and this passage reminds us of that.
Matthews 6: 31-33 warns against envy. Women that walk closely with God do not long after the possessions of others, because they don’t always know the depths underneath someone’s surface. You won’t always see the sacrifice that comes with certain facets of “success.” You may not see the ways it’s not right for you.
When you find yourself struggling with comparison on social media, run to the word of God. Pray and thank the LORD for who he is and what he’s done for you. You will feel a sense of relief that’s strong enough to break any cloud. By giving Him your faith and lavishing your love upon him, you’ll shift your perspective and get to bask in his glorious light that casts out all darkness.
Daily Prayer is a Great Weapon to Fight Back Discouragement
Prayer is essential in the life of a woman of God.
I get it girl, you’re busy. Between educating yourself, building your career, and creating a satiable social life; it can be difficult to find breaks in the day to use the bathroom, let alone time for prayer and meditating on the Word.
But oftentimes, our day is filled with distractions. We come to know social media trends, binge-worthy shows, and current events more intimately than we know ourselves and God.
It’s crucial for your mental health to frequently distance yourself from the world and make space to commune with God. In prayer, we come to learn more about ourselves and our relationship to our Creator.
Don’t feel pressured to start with hours of prayer. Start small and build as you become more comfortable with it. Start with five minutes a day and see how it feels. Add more time as the dialogue starts to feel natural. Suddenly, it’s a habit and you fall into it unconsciously.
God rewards small steps. He will answer if you ask him for clarity.
Don’t Take Yesterday’s Troubles Into Tomorrow
The final point from this passage is the release from worries. You know God is with you. Now, it’s time to trust in his wings.
A lot of times, we’re afraid of making a move because we are uncertain of the outcome. However, Matthew’s passage reminds us not to worry about the future (or the present).
Even if you can’t see the direction you should go in today, that doesn’t mean that it won’t become visible tomorrow.
God’s Word tells us to trust in the LORD with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). It says that when we acknowledge him in all our ways, he will direct our path.
We must trust that God will give us all the tools we need to handle unforeseeable challenges.
God will be there with you as you navigate each day, giving you the drive and motivation to defeat any obstacle that stands in the way of your destiny. This passage encourages us to release anxiety and enjoy the life in front of us. You can experience today and be secure in God’s ability to guide you through tomorrow.
There may come a point in your life when you begin to question who you are and who you want to be. You’ll feel the pressures to be everything while losing sight of the one thing you are.
Don’t panic through those moments. Lean into them.
Remember the wisdom from this passage and receive God’s support. It will take time and you will be grateful at the end of it. Living in accordance to God’s Word can relieve you of so much suffering and allow you to step confidently into the life he has for you.
Are you having a quarter-life crisis right now? Can you relate? Comment down below and share your story. We’d love to hear it. Then, check out this article about how to relieve the pressure to be the “perfect woman.”
