As an architecture student in polytechnic, my dream was to study overseas. My parents also desired for me to go overseas.

I was planning to go after I graduated. I was applying for universities overseas, especially in Australia, because quite a lot of architects go to Australia to continue their studies.

I applied to five, and four had already accepted me.

But my polytechnic years were also when I first started to know God more deeply. One of the things that I was very sure of then was that God knows what the best plans are for me.

So, as doing what God wants me to do was the most important thing, I was asking God where He wanted me to go.

I was reading my Bible one day when I read Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then, in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

A STEP OF FAITH

Somehow, when I read it, I knew for certain that God was speaking to me through this verse.

I knew in my heart that there was a treasure He wanted me to sell everything to get. This treasure was the treasure of knowing Him and growing in knowing Him more.

What that meant specifically, is that I felt compelled to stay in Singapore as I had been growing spiritually with my brothers and sisters in Singapore Polytechnic (SP).

I felt that God wanted me to stay in Singapore, to continue to grow and know Him even more.

That stopped my plan in its tracks, and I struggled because I really wanted to go and my parents also really wanted me to go.

It was a struggle to surrender my plans.

I even cried when I first shared what God had revealed to me with a friend. But God still gave me the faith to believe He had a treasure for me in Singapore, even when I didn’t understand.

All I knew for sure was that I would stay. So I told my parents that I would remain in Singapore, but I didn’t know where I would be going.

They couldn’t understand. They felt that I was just being rebellious. For quite a number of years after that, every once in a while, or couple of months, my dad would ask me, “So now do you want to go?”

I felt very bad because in a way, he would take it as me rejecting him, or his way of loving me – which was difficult for me because I love my dad and I know that he wants the best for me.

What I held on to was the truth that my Heavenly Father also loves my dad, and would take care of him.

Along the way, God strengthened my relationship with my dad.

Though he didn’t like my decision, there were other things that he couldn’t deny. He could see that I was growing spiritually and changing.

Yet there were still times where he would oppose my decision. I would always feel misunderstood because he would say, “You should consider your future.” And he gave me a lot of reasons – good reasons.

It can be hard to explain a step of faith like that. Which is why I came to a point where I stopped explaining, and asked God to help me to love him instead.

Walking by faith will mean that I’ll be uncomfortable with doing what God asks sometimes, but it’s okay.

That changed things. It wasn’t so tense anymore. I accepted that walking by faith will mean that I’ll be uncomfortable with doing what God asks sometimes, but it’s okay.

Eventually my dad came to see things from my point of view, although it took many years. He started to say, “Oh yeah, it’s not bad. It’s quite good for Tanya.*”

Today, after many years, I think he has come to a point where he’s able to see that God’s plan was good after all.

Ultimately, God knows best. He can see the bigger picture. He’s like a helicopter – we can only see a few steps ahead.

ANOTHER STEP OF FAITH

At that time, I applied to university and was offered an interview to become an educator.

It wasn’t my first choice, and I wasn’t very interested, but God gave me two verses that spoke to my situation during my quiet time with Him.

One was Psalms 16. The other was Proverbs 3:5-6. God assured me that though I couldn’t see why I should go onto this path, that was where He wanted me to go.

On hindsight, after I’ve continued out of trusting Him and taking steps of faith, over time, I see that His plan is really very good.

He used my professional training and the work as an educator to train me – not just in skills but character too.

I’ve come to know that wherever God puts me, He will see me through because He has a purpose for me. I have experienced so much grace as I’ve walked this path by faith.

It can be scary, because I don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s out of my comfort zone.

But I think if it’s a step of faith – aligned with doing God’s will – it will always be good. 

WHAT TRULY MATTERS

Ultimately, I would say that what is important is not the decision between this course or that course.

Where I am is not as important as who I become and who is with me. The question is: am I willing to take this process as a chance to know Him and grow to be like Him?

If that’s my focus, I’ll eventually know what God wants me to do.

When I made the decision to know Jesus, to follow Him from my first year of polytechnic, I knew that that meant that I will give up anything to follow him.

Jesus is my focus. There is nothing that is not worth giving up to pursue Him.

*The writer’s name has been changed for confidentiality.