How to Keep Your Faith in College
By Kelly Ann Kimball
If you're like 85% of Americans, you were raised in some form of Christianity. If you're like 66% of that original 85% of Americans, you probably stopped going to church once you entered college— assuming you chose to attend college. That leaves only about a third of young adults who regularly attend church during and beyond their college years. Various factors can lead people to lose some of their faith during college, but luckily there are some easy techniques to still live your best college life and stay connected with God in the process.
Why is it so easy to turn away?
The first step in remedying a loss of faith is asking yourself why. While true faith does not come in the form of a rulebook full of no-no's and limitations, it can often feel that way in college or during your young adult years. I would attribute this feeling to a potentially incorrect understanding of the central point behind the wisdom given in the Bible. Many still live with a skewed view of what faith looks like (that being said, there is, of course, an abundance of grace for people diligently seeking truth as everyone is learning at different paces). Many young adults are familiar with the term "FOMO" or "fear of missing out," which can drive us to participate in things we never typically would. Therefore, we (myself included) end up in situations that can sometimes make it hard to fall asleep without pause, whether that's getting intoxicated to better "socialize" or pushing our boundaries in ways we normally wouldn't in order to fit in. Life presents many temptations, deceiving us into seeking temporary enjoyment and fleeting opportunism that brings no lasting fulfillment, leaving us traumatized and numb. If you feel a conviction about this, know that you are not alone; many have experienced the same. As a sister in Christ, however, I promise you that real peace exists. Real joy exists.
He knows your struggles
As we know from Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, yet He remained sinless. This is important because it means that He empathizes with and deeply understands human challenges and fears. He knows your struggles, and He understands that life isn't always easy. As the apostle, Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do… For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing" (Rom 7:15-16, 18-19). Paul also seems to get it!
So now what?
Though Jesus knows our struggle, Paul also reminds us in Romans 6:1-2 that we Christians have made the choice to die to sin, thus no longer needing to live a life characterized by it. Now, hear me out— Christians will never be perfect, and we will continue to sin, but this is different from living IN unrepentant, cyclical sin. Below are a few strategies that have helped me find and keep my faith in college.
COMMUNITY. I did not come into college as a Christian— even though I thought I was one. I was raised in Saudi Arabia and knew very little about who Jesus was and why He mattered. I attribute a lot of growth in my faith to community— my good, caring community encouraged me to expand my faith and helped me get back up when I was knocked down. Godly community is so important that we are warned against bad company in 1 Corinth. 15:33, which says, "Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals." I found this good company at church. You might be thinking, "Churchy people aren't really my vibe", however, those "churchy" people will be the ones you can go to when your life seems to be falling apart. Surrounding yourself with people who have the same values as you is important, especially in college. I know I can always count on my church friends, no matter what.
GOD'S WORD. It is difficult to know God's character without being familiar with the way He speaks to and loves His people. It is also hard to know who we really are without knowing what He says about us. Reading the Bible in college is one of the best ways for you to challenge yourself in your faith, and to learn who God really is. You might discover some things in the Bible that are difficult to understand and unpack. One of the best ways I have grown in my faith has been by mentally wrestling with the things in the Bible that I don't understand until I find some meaning or understanding. Just like a tough math problem, the best way to learn is by figuring it out. A great way to get help understanding certain concepts or verses in the Bible is by consulting your church pastor, using a study bible with commentaries throughout, or finding a bible study to attend through your sorority.
BLOCK TEMPTATION. This past week, a good friend of mine asked me, "do you think my boyfriend can sleep over if we don't do anything?" My response was to tell her that, of course, her boyfriend CAN sleepover. But not everything that we "can" do is beneficial. I take a rather harsh stance on this because this was a struggle I had early on in my faith in college. The reality is that if you want to avoid falling into temptation, you shouldn't put yourself in tempting situations that you can avoid. Offer to DD if you are inclined to drink underaged. Set clear boundaries with your boyfriend/girlfriend so that you already know what is acceptable in your relationship. Jonathan Pokaluda talks a lot about dealing with sin and temptation in his podcast, "Becoming Something." Instead of asking how close you can get to the edge of a cliff without falling off, flee from the cliff entirely. You are worth more than the risk that comes with that mindset.
TALK TO GOD. Sometimes it can be hard to talk to God about situations we face because we can feel discomfort in the vulnerability of opening up. We might even convince ourselves that there is no need to talk to Him since He already knows what we are going through and what we are thinking. If faith is the pursuit of trust placed in Christ, we must know who we are placing our faith in, therefore knowing the character and person of Christ. We know that we can know Him because of John 17:3, which says, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." For me, my prayers are usually a conversation between me and my Father. Often, my prayers don't change God's stance on my situation but instead end up changing my own heart or perspective. This conversation doesn't have to be formal. You can have a conversation with God on the way to class or by writing in a journal and praying that God guides your thoughts!
I encourage you not only to continue to pursue Jesus in college but also to make your faith your own. Claim it, foster it, share it, and spend time understanding why you believe what you believe. If possible, avoid comparing your faith to others; God gives you His word to compare your heart too! So don't be discouraged by someone else who seems to have it all together. If you are looking for more tips or guidance in addition to what your local church offers, I would recommend checking out The Porch podcast, Views from the Porch podcast, and Ravi Zecharias youtube videos, where Ravi defends his faith to those who have doubts. One last great resource is GotQuestions.org! Don't hesitate to ask questions and find answers. The recommendations I listed were things I did to keep my faith in college. Everyone is different, so feel free to take inspiration from them or not; as I said, faith is a personal thing, and even if you feel lost or disconnected from it right now, there's always a way back.
