The week of finals. It's the week in which more students cry and claim they are dropping out due to the overload of stress in their lives. Where we realize that Netflix marathons maybe weren't the best idea. The time where we regret going to bed at 7:30 PM on a Saturday night instead of forcing ourselves to stay up just a little longer to finish that chapter of psychology notes. It's a time of darkness, with very little light.

As I sat in worship tonight with friends and people I had just met, we spoke about light. We spoke about light and peace and hope. And we talked about different things going on in our lives, and at the end we light heartedly joked about finals. In which I said my prayer was "If it is you're will Lord, I will pass," which funny enough I do pray before each final. But as I sit here, I wonder how to bring light into this dark time for students. How can we turn finals from a time a darkness, to a time of light?

Well, of course we could just study. We could just make it that much easier on ourselves and study throughout the semester like we are supposed to. But since that isn't going to happen, at least not for me, I think I've come up with an alternative. And it took sitting in a place worshipping our God to realize it.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28 NRSV

I am exhausted. I have spent all my time focused on flash cards and books and notes that I have exhausted myself to the point that I don't even want to write this article. I need to stop focusing on all of the things going on, and I need to focus on Christ. I need to stop thinking about what questions I don't know, stop thinking that I'm going to flunk out of college come Friday when final grades are posted, and I need to focus on my rock and my foundation. I need to focus on my relationship with Christ, and how it is through Him that I will make it through this. I need to go to him, weary and heavy burdened, and I will then find rest.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ~ John 14:6 NRSV

I need to remember that it is through Christ that I will find where I belong in this world. A grade in a class will not determine my future, for there is already a path waiting for me. I just have to choose to follow it. He is my way, my truth, and my life every day. He is what I should be clinging to in this time of stress and emotional turmoil that is finals week.

To all of my fellow college students, struggling through this week, may you find rest. May you turn to your God, and may you find rest. Study, but do not exhaust yourself. You know this material. You will make it through. All you need is a little bit of faith, and you will survive this week.