So, you just graduated from a Christian college, and as you enter into the world of timecards, 9-5s, and many different perspectives, you may be wondering what maintaining your faith will look like for you.

This is a valid question. For many of us, Christian education has helped us to cultivate our faith. Christian clubs, chapels, and classes have stewarded our growth. When those go away, what will faith truly look like?

Let’s unpack this and also look at 3 ways to build and maintain your faith as you navigate post-grad.

First off, you have just gone through a massive transition of graduating, finding a job, and/or moving to a new place. So, if your environment and routine are different, it makes sense that you are feeling different too. This also means that your faith may look different as well. Change can be hard, but it is not always a bag thing. This can be an opportunity to learn more about God and yourself. Your view and perspective of God may even expand and become more encompassing.

As you meet new people, who may be vastly different from yourself, it can also be normal to question or doubt what you have been taught. This can look like a co-worker deeply questioning your beliefs, a close friend falling away from the faith, or experiencing deep hardship and wondering if God sees you in this. In these experiences, you may use them as an opportunity to cling to the Lord and even share the Gospel with others. There is also a chance that these experiences may cause you to question what you believe. Both are valid, real reactions to what you have experienced. And God is actually with you in both.

In the Psalms, David is actually seen both questioning and praising God, oftentimes in the same chapter. For an example, we can look to Psalm 13:

1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6I will sing the LORD’s praise,

for he has been good to me.

David feels as though God has forgotten him. He wrestles with his thoughts. He feels sorrow. And yet, he is still able to say, “Lord, I trust that You love me. You have saved me. You have been good to me.” We can do the same. David is actually modeling a way that we can be honest with God with our doubts and joys, while still maintaining a relationship with Him. We can have both at the same time and pray through both.

In these moments of faith strengthening and questioning, here are 3 tips to maintain your faith in post-grad:

1. Get plugged into a Church.

Not only attending a church, but getting involved and serving is a great way to be encouraged in your faith and give back to your community. When no longer have required college chapels or theology classes, your church becomes your source of spiritual guidance. Serving at your church is also a quick way to get plugged into the community. You will meet leaders, learn more about your church’s theology, and grow close with the people that you are serving with together.

2. Set small, consistent routines.

Post-grad can be chaotic and time consuming. As you make this transition, it could be smart to set small habits that build over time. This could look like taking just 10 minutes in the morning to read God’s Word and spend time in prayer. This time could be used to read one chapter a day. If you can do more than this, great. If 10 minutes is where you are at right now, that is great too. God meets us in both, and can also help us grow our capacity over time through this new season.

3. Be honest with God.

As we saw in Psalm 13 earlier, it is biblical to be honest with God about how you are feeling. He is God, He can take it. By praying openly and honestly with God, we can develop our relationship with Him and build our trust in Him. After all, healthy relationships come with honesty and consistency. It may also be helpful to learn about your spiritual temperament; this can provide insight into the practices and experiences that help you connect most deeply with the Lord. For more information on this, you can check out this spiritual temperament quiz, created by Gary Thomas, who is a Christian bestselling author and speaker.

Post-grad can be both hard and fruitful. God is with you in both. By practicing these 3 tips and reflecting on your own walk with God in this season, you can maintain your relationship with Him through this big transition.