Will L.

Photography by Alejo Mejia-Tejada

If you’re reading this, there is peace through gratitude. 

This is the biggest lesson I am still trying to learn today. Early in college, my roommates nicknamed me “The Questioner” because I consistently asked about the why behind things and always seemed to be wrestling with some big issue. Although my curious nature is a strength at times, and I enjoy trying to deeply understand the world around me, it also is an easy source of anxiety, especially since this stage of our lives is inherently unstable and temporary. Where we live, the people we spend time with, our daily routines, and our priorities have all changed since we left home and will change again after four short years of college. 

All of this uncertainty is extremely exciting, but it is also terrifying. Questions including what do I do with my major, how do I know I’m on the right path, who do I surround myself with so I can make the most of every opportunity, how do I be ambitious and driven without living for my own selfish gain, and many more have kept me up throughout the night more times than I care to admit. As I’ve wrestled with all these unknowns, the overarching question I would always return to is how do I find peace? 

Over winter break, I re-read one of my favorite books: The Hobbit. Stay with me for this brief tangent; I promise it will make sense. If you haven’t read The Hobbit (you have to fix that), the story follows a Hobbit (for our purposes, just think of a race of smaller humans) named Bilbo Baggins. Like all Hobbits of his time, Bilbo lives a very comfortable life and is not prone to adventure. That all changes when he finds himself thrust into a journey with a wizard named Gandalf and a group of dwarves across Middle Earth to steal treasure from an evil dragon. Now, one of the reasons why I love this story is because Bilbo, throughout all the uncertainty, constantly surpasses his own expectations and realizes his true potential. However, the section that stood out the most to me was the book’s last piece of dialogue. Gandalf and Bilbo are catching up after their adventure, and Bilbo is surprised to hear that everything that was prophesied is coming true. Gandalf says: 

“And why should not they prove true? Surely you don’t disbelieve the prophecies because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!” 

To which Bilbo responds with “Thank goodness!” 

The beauty of great fictional books is that they serve as allusions to fundamental truths of our world. The simple truth here is that we are very small, just like Bilbo, when you look at our lives with respect to the scale of the universe. That may sound like a depressing nihilistic thought, but it is not when you understand that small does not mean worthless. In fact,

we would be better off being thankful, like Bilbo, because being small in a big world means that you are a part of something bigger than yourself. That is why I say find peace in gratitude. 

But what is this “something bigger” we should be thankful for? Like how Bilbo’s adventures were not accomplished through mere luck for the sake of himself, this vast world is all under the dominion of God’s plan. Your life may be filled with uncertainty, but I am certain that The Creator of the universe made you in His image, loves you in ways that we as humans cannot even put into words, and has a plan for your life. 

Surrendering your worries to God’s plan is definitely easier said than done and is the focal point of my personal growth, but I am learning that continuously grounding yourself in being grateful for God’s plan is key to combating anxiety. Philippians 4:6-7 says: 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

There is so much truth to unpack here, but the main thing I want to leave you with is I encourage you to be thankful. Be thankful that there is a God who loves you and that he has a perfect plan for your life. Be thankful that this awesome God wants to have a personal relationship with you, and if you pursue a relationship with Him through prayer, there is so much peace in knowing that your life has a purpose fulfilled through His plan, which transcends anything of this world. 

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Will L., Clemson University

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