While waiting for (or actively pursuing) God's specific plan for you, do not neglect his general command to love.
I believe that God has given us general commands and specific commands, both of which we must obey. For example, God said: Go and make disciples of all nations, Honor your father and mother, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength... Those are his general commands and they apply to every Christian on the face of this earth.
But God has also given us and/or will give us specific commands. Some are as seemingly small as "Go tell this person something from me" or "Start a Bible Study". Then are things that specifically reflect God's overarching plan for us. These are typically bigger (though not necessarily more important), like when God gives us the reassurances to go to a certain college or instructs us to move to another area or to take a certain job or volunteer for a certain ministry. And these specific commands also include our vocation. Basically: What are you going to do with the rest of your life?
Many times we get caught up in the "big picture" items, that we neglect the seemingly "smaller" things. For example, God's given me a desire for teaching, because through that I can explore the English language and literature and minister to teenagers, which are two important things to me. But God hasn't really given me anything too far beyond that.
Okay, but I can deal with that. I'm satisfied with where God's placed me and I know that I have 7 semesters before I step out into the workforce. But I want to do something amazing for God right here and now. I mean, I'm at this college, with these friends, in these classes, in this dorm, on this hall, with this roommate and these suitemates, and involved in these extracurricular events for a purpose and a reason. And God has me here because it's where he wants me. But at the same time, I feel this insatiable need to go do something for God. And I'm almost afraid of just jumping out and doing something for the fear that it will end in a mess. So I've been sitting here, saying "God, show me what you want me to do. I will follow you wherever you lead me." And God hasn't shown me anything specific yet.
Yet, in this moment, it hit me: I can't put everything else on hold while I wait for God's specific command. Because God wants me to obey his general commands at all times, especially while I'm waiting for his specific commands. One general command I think we forget is to love others as we love ourselves.
Ever met someone who was on such a mission that nothing could stop them? They charge through the hallways, looking for that one professor or trying to make it to chapel on time that they ignore everything else?
With regard to God vs the world, we should be like that. Acknowledge that you can leave everything in this world behind all for God, and that you'd be okay with that. But when it comes to people, love them! Love, love, love. Invest time into them. Listen to them. Pour your life into them. Don't get so focused on the "ministry" aspect that you neglect the people you're helping. Don't get so focused on the end result that you neglect the means. Love others with a heart that longs to see them restored in Christ.
See, no matter what your specific command or your calling is, God has called you to love him and to love others. No matter if God has called you to be a truck-driver, a soccer coach, a mom, a college professor, a counselor, a doctor, or housekeeper... He has called you first to love.
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