Finals Week, Oh Finals Week

You're stressed, you're tired, you're wired on caffeine, you're drowning in your textbooks and notes, your heart rate keeps climbing, you can't seem to get enough sleep even if you get a solid eight hours, trying to find a good place to study is nearly impossible, it's likely that you're so worried about these upcoming tests that you're sick to your stomach. Does any of this sound familiar?

At last, finals week is here and it's almost the end of the semester. You're worried if your grade will go up that letter grade higher or if your GPA will suffer if it doesn't. You're worried if you don't get A's, then you won't get in graduate school or you won't find a job after graduation. You won't be able to pay off your student loans, you won't be able to move out of your parent's house, you won't be able to start your life.

But that's exactly the problem. You're worried about you. You're worried about your grades. You're stressed about your GPA and how it looks on your résumé. Yes, it is you're the one who makes the grades, and it is your GPA, and it is your future you're looking out for. But, this society has taught us that everything is about "I." How I can get good grades, how I can get in college, how I can get the best job. But in all actuality, it's all about God and what he can do through you.

God wants us to remain steadfast in studying his word before the textbooks. He wants us to be thankful for the opportunity to learn and be more intelligent so that he can use us for his glory. So that we can reach out to others in our own mission field. Whether it's the hospital room, the classroom, the lawyer's office, or anywhere else.

But the point is that your degree is not for you. It's for your kids you want to teach when you're trying to explain long division or the pythagorean theorem. It's for your patients with lung cancer and you have to explain to the family why chemotherapy is their best option. It's for your clients that are trusting you with their taxes and confidential financial information that could easily be "miscalculated."

There's nothing wrong with working hard and wanting good grades, but realize that your degree is just one step to helping others in the future. The ones who are going to trust you with their education, their health, and their life.

Rest in the peace that all of this is temporary. The stress, the pressure, the grades, the hard work, all of it is temporary. The percentage on top of your math test, the number of clubs that you're in, your GPA, all of these numbers won't matter in heaven. They are man-made and remain on earth.

Don't let finals week pass you by without thinking about what God wants for your future. Think about the kids you'll teach, the patients you'll take care of, and the clients you'll attend to. Appreciate the gift that God has given to you and pray that it will help you love his children better.