Too often nowadays we are caught up in this sense of safety and security, and to some, it's become the be-all end for life.
Go to a good school, get a good job with good benefits, and then you'll be secure.
Planning your life has gotten to the point where you have to get every single duck lined up before you can begin your journey.
I personally believe that it is not how we are meant to live according to the Bible and that we too often tend to trust in our own abilities and wanting to be "absolutely certain" before entering a new world. But is that really how we're supposed to live as Christians?
Does God tell us to wait until we fully understand everything before trusting that He will provide, strengthen and guide us?
Going back to the fall of Adam, the original sin was that Adam wanted to be like God, knowing good and evil.
What are we saying when we have to fully understand every aspect of the journey before beginning on it? Are we not really saying that "hey God, I appreciate the offer, but I got this, I can figure it all out on my own."
I think this applies to every age category, but especially those of us in our teen years. So much is uncertain and new, and the world around us is clamoring for safety. "You need to get this job, then get this house, save your money, max out your retirement, get married, and have two kids, then you'll be safe and happy." Don't get me wrong, I don't think any of those things are bad, but only the extent to which having your life perfectly planned out before beginning is bad.
God didn't create us to be robots, just going through the same sequence of life. He created us all to be unique, and all with a specific purpose. He didn't say it was going to be easy. He said to trust Him.
The parable of the talents is an excellent example of this. God gives us each a portion, and we are not to bury it in the backyard, but rather to go out and multiply that what we've been entrusted. He never said it would be easy or a sure thing, but He tells us to trust in Him and multiply what He has entrusted to us, not to sit on our hands until OUR perfect plan is ready to go into action.
None of this is to say that planning isn't useful and good. Only that planning can sometimes take president overtaking action.
One of my favorite quotes is “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.” - Eisenhower
Life is a battle, a struggle, but it's a good fight, and one ultimately satisfying and fulfilling.