"You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3
It's the examination season again; O Levels, A Levels, University. May I offer a word of encouragement to all who are taking exams.
It's kind of difficult to exercise faith and trust when your examination is tomorrow and you're not sure about your stuff. Panic sets in and the stress takes over. But perhaps during these times we are placing our faith in the wrong place? Often we ask God, please give me the results that I need. Please help me to answer all the questions. Please help me to do well. But all the while we are not really thinking about God, but about our results. That is foremost on our mind, and the worry remains. Perhaps that is why we find it so difficult to trust.
In the context of examinations, faith is not believing that God will give you good results. I'm sure you would have found that that kind of faith does not last very long, and brings very little comfort. That is desire; we are actually wanting something for ourselves. And when we do not get it, we think that our faith has not paid off, and become disappointed and afraid; in actual fact, it was not faith at all. Faith means to look beyond the results, to look to God, and trust in Him. It is acknowledging that God knows what is best and the results are in His hands. Faith is to know that no matter what happens, God is in control. Sounds cliche? It is true. Before you shrug it off as being too idealistic, ask yourself- have you ever tried developing that kind of faith? If you read Hebrews 11, one of the biggest chapters about faith, you will find that in all the examples of faith listed there- Abel, Abraham, Moses, David, just to name a few- none of them wanted something for themselves. They just believed in God and His promises.
It is very natural to want things, good results are one of them. But when our desires are for the wrong reasons, and they start to occupy first place in our minds instead of God, that is wrong. In these testing times, the challenge is to keep our mind stayed on Him. It would be good to ask ourselves- why do we seek after good results so badly? Is it because we feel that if we do not get them, our futures will be compromised? In trouble? That is the world speaking. Turn to God and you will find Him saying to you- "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" Do you feel that you have to keep up with other people and not lose out, or else you will be lost in mediocrity? Turn to God and He will say to you, "You are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which I prepared beforehand that you should walk in them." (Eph 2:10) Do you feel just plain tired and stressed and worried? Turn to Him and He will say to you, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30)
I am not trying to soothe your worries with empty promises or nice-sounding verses. The facts remain- that you will be facing an examination, and it is not going to be easy. But you have this assurance- that the Lord of your life is control of your future. He is the one in control, not us. "I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it." Eccl. 3:14. Release all control to Him, trust in Him, and let His perfect peace fill you. Let me tell you, there are few greater feelings in this world than the feeling of perfect peace; of being able to rest completely assured that what He wants to happen will happen, and it is going to be something wonderful. We must learn to look to Him and realise that the most important thing in our lives is not for us to get good results, but for His plan for us to be revealed- and that we know will happen, if we trust in Him. "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Psa 37:5.
Take this opportunity to let your faith grow. And you will find that there is something to be found that is far, far more valuable than those As- God Himself.
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3
It's the examination season again; O Levels, A Levels, University. May I offer a word of encouragement to all who are taking exams.
It's kind of difficult to exercise faith and trust when your examination is tomorrow and you're not sure about your stuff. Panic sets in and the stress takes over. But perhaps during these times we are placing our faith in the wrong place? Often we ask God, please give me the results that I need. Please help me to answer all the questions. Please help me to do well. But all the while we are not really thinking about God, but about our results. That is foremost on our mind, and the worry remains. Perhaps that is why we find it so difficult to trust.
In the context of examinations, faith is not believing that God will give you good results. I'm sure you would have found that that kind of faith does not last very long, and brings very little comfort. That is desire; we are actually wanting something for ourselves. And when we do not get it, we think that our faith has not paid off, and become disappointed and afraid; in actual fact, it was not faith at all. Faith means to look beyond the results, to look to God, and trust in Him. It is acknowledging that God knows what is best and the results are in His hands. Faith is to know that no matter what happens, God is in control. Sounds cliche? It is true. Before you shrug it off as being too idealistic, ask yourself- have you ever tried developing that kind of faith? If you read Hebrews 11, one of the biggest chapters about faith, you will find that in all the examples of faith listed there- Abel, Abraham, Moses, David, just to name a few- none of them wanted something for themselves. They just believed in God and His promises.
It is very natural to want things, good results are one of them. But when our desires are for the wrong reasons, and they start to occupy first place in our minds instead of God, that is wrong. In these testing times, the challenge is to keep our mind stayed on Him. It would be good to ask ourselves- why do we seek after good results so badly? Is it because we feel that if we do not get them, our futures will be compromised? In trouble? That is the world speaking. Turn to God and you will find Him saying to you- "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" Do you feel that you have to keep up with other people and not lose out, or else you will be lost in mediocrity? Turn to God and He will say to you, "You are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which I prepared beforehand that you should walk in them." (Eph 2:10) Do you feel just plain tired and stressed and worried? Turn to Him and He will say to you, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30)
I am not trying to soothe your worries with empty promises or nice-sounding verses. The facts remain- that you will be facing an examination, and it is not going to be easy. But you have this assurance- that the Lord of your life is control of your future. He is the one in control, not us. "I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it." Eccl. 3:14. Release all control to Him, trust in Him, and let His perfect peace fill you. Let me tell you, there are few greater feelings in this world than the feeling of perfect peace; of being able to rest completely assured that what He wants to happen will happen, and it is going to be something wonderful. We must learn to look to Him and realise that the most important thing in our lives is not for us to get good results, but for His plan for us to be revealed- and that we know will happen, if we trust in Him. "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Psa 37:5.
Take this opportunity to let your faith grow. And you will find that there is something to be found that is far, far more valuable than those As- God Himself.
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