"It's dead week and I'm so stressed out, I feel like I'm dying!" These are words that we have all said or heard at least a hundred times. We have been looking at this week from the wrong angle and in the wrong light. This week is filled with pressing deadlines and an overwhelming amount of things to do, but you are not dead, nor are you going to die.
"I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4b
I have made you. You are not dead because the Lord has given you life. You are his most precious child and he created you in his most perfect image. His plan for your life is more powerful and wonderful than any test you could ever take. He made you because he wanted the world to have someone like you. Someone strong, smart, funny, and remarkable. You are remarkable and he will help you with the stress you are feeling if you seek him first. Take the energy you're spending on being stressed and fall into the grace and peace the Lord has for you.
I will carry you. Even when you don't realize it, God is holding you in his hand. He is carrying you through this difficult time, you just have to lean into the love he has for you. Allow him to be your strength when you feel like you can’t study anymore. Let him hold you in his arms while you’re hurting and let him take away your pain and stress. His burden is light and you are not another load on his back, you are a joy and a treasure to him.
I will sustain you. He wants you to look to him for joy and peace and comfort in your most stressful times and he will provide everything you need. Even if you're feeling helpless, he's not going to abandon you. Instead of relying on another cup of coffee to get you through the week, say a prayer to the Lord and he will help you to continue. He will be your breath of life when you feel beaten and broken.
I will rescue you. Even when you feel like you’re falling off a cliff, the Lord will catch you. Whenever you feel completely lost and ready to give up hope, let the Lord rescue you from your pain and stress. Don’t feel alone during this overwhelming time, but ask the Lord for guidance and walk with him. Don’t allow yourself to be held captive by fear and anxiety about finals, the Lord has a plan for you and it is full of hope. Don’t worry, but rest in the peace the Lord has for you.
“Lord, allow me to rest in the peace that you have for me and know that your will shall be done. You wrap me in your arms and I am safe and secure from any harm that could come to me. May these finals not consume me and my life. Allow me to trust you and your plan during this stressful time. Let this week give me life instead of consuming me in negativity. May you be glorified through all that I do this week. Amen."
