I still have nightmares about my time in college. It’s typically the same nightmare over and over. It goes something like this. I show up to a class and realize it’s the day of a final exam, and I haven’t been to a single class all semester! In order to graduate on time, I must pass this class! In the nightmare I start to panic and am flooded with an overwhelming sense of dread. How did I let this happen and how am I going to explain this to my mom? I finally open up the exam and none of the words even make sense. I have no clue what I am doing! I try to think as hard as I can about what the questions are asking, but nothing at all comes to mind. I normally wake up from this nightmare sweating and thanking God I am not actually still in college. LOL!
The sad truth is this nightmare isn’t far from what actually happened to me in college. I would love to say that I was a great student and always went to class and prepared for my exams, but I wasn’t, and I didn’t. I always seemed to find myself overwhelmed and then shutting down. I can only remember one class that I wasn’t constantly trying to catch up. My best friend and college roommate decided to take Abnormal Psychology as an “elective”. Now, if I was able to choose an “elective” it would have been something like underwater basket weaving or a class on naps. She was very smart and studious. I had to take Abnormal Psychology since I was a Psychology major. I can remember us sitting at our kitchen table together studying and quizzing each other on our discussion questions. A miraculous thing happened. Not only did I show up for exams feeling confident and at ease, but I also made an A in the class!
It’s really amazing what happens when we take the time to prepare. Not only for classes and tests, but in life and in our relationships with God.
Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”
We don’t have to always be overwhelmed when faced with a test in life. David said that it is actually a “JOY” to face life’s tests when we are prepared. When we meditate on God’s word day and night we can move forward with confidence. We become strong and prosper in all we do! So many times, we wait until the last minute – just like I did in college. Always frantically cramming for an exam the night before, just hoping to somehow pass with very little effort. We do the same in life. We wait until we are in a crisis and then frantically start trying to find our way back to God hoping we will make it through. Psalms 1:3 said, “Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do”. Don’t wait until the last minute to spend time with God and His word. You don’t have to feel “withered” and defeated by life’s tests. You can choose to prepare. Meditate on His Word day and night. Allow it to give you the strength you need to be confident in facing whatever life throws your way.
If you are like me, and studying for anything seems like a really terrible, awful, not fun at all idea, then may I suggest getting a study partner. Having my best friend to study with made the process so much more bearable. We could encourage each other and help keep each other on track. This is just as true when studying God’s word. Having a friend or even a group of friends to study God’s word with is actually a lot of fun and very beneficial.
I’m praying today that we would be women that bear fruit in every season of life. No matter what tests come our way, we will pass with flying colors because we have prepared by letting God’s Word soak into our hearts day and night.
April Kirkland
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#aprilkirklandblogs
