By now, I’ve learned that the supposed light at the end of the tunnel is probably just another train to dodge. Several movies about Moses stop at Mount Sinai when he obtains the Ten Commandments, although the Bible depicts more struggle, mainly the Israelites’ constant complaining. One would think that after arriving at the Promised Land, the Israelites’ problems would be over, but they still had to defend their territory from outside influences.

Yet despite some roadblocks, we’ve still grown. During my early youth group experiences, I would listen to talks and think: “I wish I could make speeches like that.” I have yet to try motivational speaking, but as a writer, I’ve been told: “I wish I could write as well as you.” My egotistical side soaks it up, but the other side lacking self-esteem wonders why, since I still notice glaring faults in certain works. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’ve really improved.

As a youth, I’ve told myself that finding that “special someone” would mean everlasting happiness, although any married person could tell you that the hard part comes after the ceremony. As an aspiring teacher, I hope that I’ll understand French perfectly one day, but I already know that society’s evolution will require constant adjustment of my strategies. So how can we be possibly be satisfied?

The struggles of Jesus’ disciples didn’t necessarily end after obtaining the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; the Romans continued to threaten them. However, there is a noticeable change in attitude afterwards; the disciples generally exhibit less stress, confusion and anxiety towards God and ultimately manage to fulfill His will. It’s not that their struggles became easier, merely that they became closer to God and grew stronger as a result.

We’re all students and we only have one teacher. We’re not as good as we want to be and we never will be. But our teacher is perfect. As the disciples knew, it’s not about knowing everything or being able to do anything. It’s about trusting that God knows and can do all these things. 

So keep moving forward. Slip and fall. Then pick yourself up, look at how far you’ve come — because you have moved forward — and trust that the light at the end of the tunnel might not actually be a train to avoid, but a handy lantern for the road ahead.

(Jed de los Reyes, 18, is a French Studies student at Toronto’s York University.)