I found myself in a very unexpected position earlier this week. I was approached by our publisher with the exciting yet daunting new concept of writing a column for this very magazine. I was honored and eagerly agreed to participate in this noble project. But as I sat down to begin, with the blank page open before me, silence ensued. There was not a single topic in my head, no spark of wit to launch me into ingenious insight. I mused for a moment. What shall I write? What matters to me? What do I have to say that others may want to hear? You see, the trouble is, I want to say many things, but I have far too little time. Would I be able to find the space in which to properly reflect on this new task? Every hour in my schedule has already been carefully filled to make the most of my time.
Time.
There’s that word again; the one that’s always haunting me. I moved, returning to my grimly assigned list of to-do’s which my past self had lovingly found suitable for today, and my exhausted afternoon body heaved a sigh. The column would have to wait. I hadn’t even been outside that day, except for walking to class. Now the sun would be going down, and here I was, in a basement; not writing an article, not focusing on homework, not getting anything done at all. This certainly wasn’t the first time I’d wasted a day forcing myself to feel productive before allowing myself to rest. I took a brief pause and felt that familiar yet unwelcome pressure around my heart, and asked myself if I’d be able to continue this way much longer?
There is a prominent force in our society, one well known to anyone on a college campus in 2025, it is the “worker bee” mentality that drums its deafening beat into our already far too hurried hearts. It infects our 16-credit course schedule, our research projects, our generous volunteer positions in clubs and organizations, our hobbies and sports, our relationships and friendships, with a stress that leads to increasingly frequent burnouts and breakdowns. All of these endeavors are good and beautiful, and they deserve our time, attention, and careful tending—but the cost sometimes feels too high. Sometimes it is all too much. If you relate to this feeling, dear reader, this article is for you.
I want to make something very clear before we begin: your pursuits are worthy of your time and energy. Your desires and goals deserve motivation, and your successes should be celebrated! But there is never a reason you should feel pain when you are striving towards excellence. In some ways, the pain that you feel as you stretch and grow proves that your work is important to you, but the problem begins when you feel that you have been crippled by these pursuits. Your work should not cause increased anxiety or overwhelm you with the thought that your best effort is not enough. Allow me to dispel that fog with this nuanced comfort: your best will never be enough. “Enough” is an abstract ideal that is unachievable, our productivity-driven world has seen to that.
Accepting the challenge to become “enough” means denying your right to freedom and your God-given desire for growth. Sometimes it seems humans have created a structure of society that we must constantly fight with to thrive in. But the concept of time does not have to rule you. There is another option.
Surrender. It may seem vague, but surrendering control is the most practical way to swim against the tide of insecurity and inadequacy pervading our lives. And yes, I know, we can’t just let go and give up, irresponsibly believing that our essays will magically get written without our commitment and effort. That would be entirely opposite my point. You must surrender your control to our good and gracious Lord, trusting in His Providence. Our God is a God of peace. He is not worried about whether His work will be finished in you. He isn’t scheming or manipulating or pushing you. He sees your desires and He is proud of your efforts. So, keep going, friend. Keep striving toward excellence, always offering it to Him. He wants to give you every good thing, but He will not take over without your permission. So, when you give Him the driver’s seat don’t be afraid to tell Him where you want to go. He is waiting to hear it, every small piece of your plan. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 1:6.
Much love,
C.G. White
