The transition to adulthood involves monumental steps toward personal growth, independence, and success. If college students were asked to define success, they would likely say something along the lines of achieving goals, attaining financial freedom, and creating happiness. Unsurprisingly, Merriam Webster defines success as “a favorable or desirable outcome; the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence” [1]. Therefore, students’ navigation of their college journeys begs the question: does the absence of these conventional measures of success render their lives unsuccessful?
Navigating the college transition is a complex task laden with struggles and the hope of triumphs, and students often come into college with solidified ideas of how their lives are going to go. Even if they change majors three times, there is still an underlying expectation of success, and not attaining goals is an unfathomable thought. However, many of us silently encounter overwhelming struggles that significantly burden our college experience and leave us reimagining what success looks like. We expect to gain the same normative experiences as our peers—a fulfilling journey to self-development and success — but what happens when our plans don’t go according to our plan?
The Chronic Impacts of Chronic Illness
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of college students live with a chronic illness in college [2]. Living with a chronic illness comes with countless medical appointments, a high symptom burden, the need for accommodations, frequent absences, and major disruptions in our social lives. These issues easily result in feelings of failure—a particularly daunting notion given the prestige of attending Vanderbilt University. Our once-linear path towards success is now challenged by being forced to embrace flexibility and to redefine our concept of success. Our lofty goals may simply not lie on the horizon anymore, and we must reprioritize our goals to accommodate our illnesses.
New Perspectives
Looking through a new lens is one of the most challenging aspects of chronic illness – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As a Christian, I have always aspired to live up to the description of the woman in Proverbs 31. However, as a woman with several chronic illnesses, I have grappled with feeling as though I’m falling short due to my illness. I have had to learn that in many areas, the Bible is not simply black-and-white and have begun to consider the more nuanced, gray areas of the Bible. I hold the same value as a person, regardless of what I can physically offer society. I can still be strong, virtuous, and selfless without rising before dawn, being a mother, or being physically healthy. The Bible says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit that should be honored and taken care of as we were bought at a price [3]. This perspective becomes especially relevant to people struggling with chronic illness, as we must pay extra attention to our bodies and take time away from accomplishing our other goals.
Our society has primed us to uphold its definition of success, but chronic illness often brings aspects of uncertainty and a lack of control that make it so difficult to conform to that vision. In spite of this nonconformity, the immense struggles of chronic illness have the potential to offer new perspectives that can help us reprioritize our lives, change our definition of success, and consider some of life’s biggest questions.
Challenging Society’s Perception
In the Bible, Jesus emphasizes the importance of the eternal perspective and teaches the value of focusing on the riches of God’s kingdom rather than earthly successes. In His view, success involves striving to be more like Him and bearing the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” – values that are separate from our achievements [4]. Proverbs 22:2 reminds Christians that God is the Maker of us all, regardless of how successful society deems us to be [5]. The Bible says that a human’s value is upheld in God and not the worldly definitions of value and success. If that is so, why would God let us struggle with illness and these feelings of inadequacy?
Questioning His Love
The mystery of God’s sovereignty is a large question at the forefront of all human struggle, and it brings about so many questions that we cannot answer.
And that’s okay.
It is completely natural and valid to question and contemplate the struggles that chronic illness brings. Many Christians describe their struggles as a catalyst for drawing them closer to God and being able to experience His presence in a deeper way. Romans 5:3-5 says, “… we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” [6]. Hope does not put us to shame. In this way, Romans 5 serves as a reminder to Christians to use their struggles for good — to develop their characters and learn the values of perseverance and faith. I have never been much of a glass-half-full kind of person, but it is so comforting to know that He sees my struggles and knows that my suffering will result in a restorative transformation.
Coming to Terms with God’s Plan: A Redefined Concept
The question of why a good God could allow suffering is a difficult concept to grasp and requires a level of humility and understanding that Christians see faith as providing. Society’s definition of success is centered around earthly desires that often force a divide between Christianity and society itself. Christians believe that their sufferings remind them to refocus on what is truly important. They believe that God does not want them to feel shame, nor does He want them to compare themselves to each other. In doing so, Christians can remember His definition of success: love, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Written by:
Annaliese Dominguez, Contributor
Annaliese is a junior from Annapolis, Maryland majoring in child studies and MHS at Vanderbilt University.
- Merriam-Webster. “Definition of SUCCESS.” Merriam-Webster.com, 2009, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/success.
- Watson, Kathleen B. “Chronic Conditions among Adults Aged 18─34 Years — United States, 2019.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 71, no. 30, 2022, www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7130a3.htm, https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7130a3.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV.
- Galations 5:22-23 NIV.
- Proverbs 22:2 NIV.
- Romans 5:3-5 NIV.