A Pill for the Quarter Life Crisis

A friend's 23rd birthday this last week got me thinking of my own 23rd (a few years back). I remember sitting on the ground against my car talking with my dad about this suffocating feeling that I was having. For some reason, 23 set an alarm off for me that I wasn't a kid anymore - that I had entered into adulthood. I felt an overwhelming sense that I had to very quickly decide what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life. I had decided to go into student ministry by my 11th grade year, so it wasn't necessarily a need to find a job or vocation. It was more of a restlessness in figuring out what I should have accomplished by when. At 23 I was still single (and would be for another 4 years) and in a poverty level ministry position. I was watching some of my friends move on with their lives at a much quicker speed. I felt left behind as my friends were building families, careers and even legacies! (one of my class mates already had a building named after her). Should I be writing books? Should I be on the speaking circuit? Should I be in a bigger church?

I was going through what is now termed a "a quarter life crisis." With our fast paced society, it only makes sense that we can no longer wait for a "mid-life crisis" to ask "WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE?!!!!!" In a couple weeks I turn 39. I have a wonderful wife and two incredible kids, a house, a couple cars, a dog and two cats (still no building named after me - but I'm not bitter) and once again am looking at what I've accomplished so far. With a little more life perspective, I've learned that some of those neurotic thoughts may never completely go away, but they do change. Whereas at 23 I thought I was hitting adult status, I have that same sense at 39 - I'm becoming an adult and might be one any day now. It seems that who I am and the areas that I need to pursue are just now beginning to come in to view a little. My late 30's have been almost a 2nd adolescence and I'm coming out of the awkward years. I look forward to my 40's if God allows me to stick around. According to Dan Miller, many people don't become truly successful until they hit their 50's! Woohoo!

To my friends who are just turning 23 and wondering why they haven't conquered the world yet. Be patient, have fun, fail, learn learn learn and thank God that He let's you grow as the years roll on. And trust me, it's worth the wait.