This is to all the J2s who are studying like mad now, as well as to everyone else who is in school and studying. It's a stressful thing, studying. You know people always tell each other to trust God during these times, especially when crucial examinations like the O or A levels are coming up. I used to quote Proverbs 3: 5-6 to my friends who were taking examinations-
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
But many people find it really difficult to trust God during these times, because the stress is so great. How to trust God when there's so much left to study? How to trust God when I don't understand half the syllabus? How? It really isn't easy. But I hope to help my trying to explain what I believe trusting in God really means, especially in reference to this beautiful verse.
First of all, trusting in God does not mean sitting back and not studying, and waiting for God to give you the good results. Only a fool would do that. When God made this world He made the rules that govern this world, and one of those rules is that if you want to do well for an exam, you have to work hard and study. So when people tell you to trust God, they do not mean study less.
What I believe trusting in God really means is a change in attitude. Most of us study so hard because society, school, our family is expecting us to do so. Everyone else is studying so hard and doing so well; if we don't do well, we'll be deemed as failures or left behind. Also we are worried that if we do not do well in our studies, then our future will be ruined; we will have less career opportunities, we won't be able to go to such-and-such university, do such-and-such course. But embedded within these views is the subtle belief that we control our future. That if we do well in our examinations then our future is secure. That if only we can be better than everyone else we would have succeeded in life. That doing well for examinations is a ticket to a better life in the future- you either have that ticket, and rejoice; or you don't have it, and are doomed.
But as Christians, is that the view that God tells us to take? Clearly not! Again and again God reassures us that He has our futures in His hand. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:13. An expected end. We expect to have a joyful future; how ironic is it that we will only find it when we surrender all to God! "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding..." The world may have the understanding that good grades equals future success and happiness, but this verse tells us clearly not to succumb to that understanding, but to trust God for our futures. He alone will give us a future that is filled with joy.
Here another paradigm shift in our minds is necessary. What do we see in a joyful future? There are a few things that are definitely not meant to be part of that. Money, fame, honour, glory, material comfort. Easy to say, but I think we all need to reexamine ourselves and see whether subtly, even unconsciously, we are still subscribing to these things, and believing that they are part of the future we want. We may be subscribing to that belief without even knowing it! God has something much better to offer. I believe that joy in the future comes from the prospect of serving the Lord. Think about it for a while. That is our joy, serving the Lord! Nothing else but serving the Lord! He calls us to serve Him everywhere- at home, in the workplace. He also promises that He will always empower us to serve Him, and provide for all our needs while we are doing it. And if that is really so, why do we worry so much about our grades? Why do we worry so much about which university we go to? Why do we worry so much about the jobs we'll get into? These things are secondary; they are simply means, simply means to our ultimate end of serving the Lord in our lives. Once we have removed the coloured spectacles of the world's beliefs and realise what our lives are truly about, and Who the real source of joy is, then we will see things so very differently.
So what kind of attitude change is necessary? "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Acknowledge Him. Begin by in your mind and heart, surrendering your grades, and your future to Him. Learn to trust that no matter how you score, He will put you in a place where you can serve Him joyfully. Study hard, but always remember that God is in control. It makes a great difference! Pray before every exam, surrendering the results to Him. Do your best, and leave the rest to Him. Do we really believe that He will direct our paths in life? We will not if we keep stubbornly holding on to our own expectations and hopes of our futures, and think that we can secure it for ourselves; we can if we begin to trust in Him.
People may think that I am not qualified to write about exam stress because I have never had as much problems with work as others. But here I have said nothing about doing well in exams; only about trusting God, which I believe is the real crux of the matter, and which I have had to do as well. As a President's Scholar I have more reason than anyone else to not worry about my future; but I stand here and tell you that even with all these things, our lives will never be complete. I worry that if I do not find Him and have Him directing my paths, then all would have been in vain! I can imagine myself in this position but without God, if that were possible at all- sure, I have achieved much, but as I look towards the future, I still have no idea where I'm going, no idea where my joy is, and can only continue as I have always done- work hard, compete to be the best, succeed in a worldly sense. That's what many people are doing- just working and working and working, believing that their work will bring them happiness, when in reality all it brings is more work. That is not what God intends for us! He intends for us to know Him and to serve Him in our lives, and I will testify without doubt that that is the greatest joy.
I would gladly say with Paul, "...I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord..." Even if we had the greatest grades in the world, but did not know Christ, it would count for nothing; trust wholeheartedly in Him, and let Him unfold the glorious plans He has for you.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
But many people find it really difficult to trust God during these times, because the stress is so great. How to trust God when there's so much left to study? How to trust God when I don't understand half the syllabus? How? It really isn't easy. But I hope to help my trying to explain what I believe trusting in God really means, especially in reference to this beautiful verse.
First of all, trusting in God does not mean sitting back and not studying, and waiting for God to give you the good results. Only a fool would do that. When God made this world He made the rules that govern this world, and one of those rules is that if you want to do well for an exam, you have to work hard and study. So when people tell you to trust God, they do not mean study less.
What I believe trusting in God really means is a change in attitude. Most of us study so hard because society, school, our family is expecting us to do so. Everyone else is studying so hard and doing so well; if we don't do well, we'll be deemed as failures or left behind. Also we are worried that if we do not do well in our studies, then our future will be ruined; we will have less career opportunities, we won't be able to go to such-and-such university, do such-and-such course. But embedded within these views is the subtle belief that we control our future. That if we do well in our examinations then our future is secure. That if only we can be better than everyone else we would have succeeded in life. That doing well for examinations is a ticket to a better life in the future- you either have that ticket, and rejoice; or you don't have it, and are doomed.
But as Christians, is that the view that God tells us to take? Clearly not! Again and again God reassures us that He has our futures in His hand. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:13. An expected end. We expect to have a joyful future; how ironic is it that we will only find it when we surrender all to God! "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding..." The world may have the understanding that good grades equals future success and happiness, but this verse tells us clearly not to succumb to that understanding, but to trust God for our futures. He alone will give us a future that is filled with joy.
Here another paradigm shift in our minds is necessary. What do we see in a joyful future? There are a few things that are definitely not meant to be part of that. Money, fame, honour, glory, material comfort. Easy to say, but I think we all need to reexamine ourselves and see whether subtly, even unconsciously, we are still subscribing to these things, and believing that they are part of the future we want. We may be subscribing to that belief without even knowing it! God has something much better to offer. I believe that joy in the future comes from the prospect of serving the Lord. Think about it for a while. That is our joy, serving the Lord! Nothing else but serving the Lord! He calls us to serve Him everywhere- at home, in the workplace. He also promises that He will always empower us to serve Him, and provide for all our needs while we are doing it. And if that is really so, why do we worry so much about our grades? Why do we worry so much about which university we go to? Why do we worry so much about the jobs we'll get into? These things are secondary; they are simply means, simply means to our ultimate end of serving the Lord in our lives. Once we have removed the coloured spectacles of the world's beliefs and realise what our lives are truly about, and Who the real source of joy is, then we will see things so very differently.
So what kind of attitude change is necessary? "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Acknowledge Him. Begin by in your mind and heart, surrendering your grades, and your future to Him. Learn to trust that no matter how you score, He will put you in a place where you can serve Him joyfully. Study hard, but always remember that God is in control. It makes a great difference! Pray before every exam, surrendering the results to Him. Do your best, and leave the rest to Him. Do we really believe that He will direct our paths in life? We will not if we keep stubbornly holding on to our own expectations and hopes of our futures, and think that we can secure it for ourselves; we can if we begin to trust in Him.
People may think that I am not qualified to write about exam stress because I have never had as much problems with work as others. But here I have said nothing about doing well in exams; only about trusting God, which I believe is the real crux of the matter, and which I have had to do as well. As a President's Scholar I have more reason than anyone else to not worry about my future; but I stand here and tell you that even with all these things, our lives will never be complete. I worry that if I do not find Him and have Him directing my paths, then all would have been in vain! I can imagine myself in this position but without God, if that were possible at all- sure, I have achieved much, but as I look towards the future, I still have no idea where I'm going, no idea where my joy is, and can only continue as I have always done- work hard, compete to be the best, succeed in a worldly sense. That's what many people are doing- just working and working and working, believing that their work will bring them happiness, when in reality all it brings is more work. That is not what God intends for us! He intends for us to know Him and to serve Him in our lives, and I will testify without doubt that that is the greatest joy.
I would gladly say with Paul, "...I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord..." Even if we had the greatest grades in the world, but did not know Christ, it would count for nothing; trust wholeheartedly in Him, and let Him unfold the glorious plans He has for you.
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