Be Still

It seems that no matter what I’m going through in my life, even day by day, God has a verse that is exactly what I need to hear. Do you know what I’m talking about? It’s as if God knows exactly what you’re going through and exactly what to say. That’s because He does, and the best part is that what He has to say is always perfect in wisdom and encouragement.

Yesterday was by far the longest day of my semester so far. It was one of those days in which you have a lot of work to get done and you just work non-stop all day. I spend six straight hours in the library with my buddy Dan after class, and given the amount of time that I worked, didn’t really accomplish all I had hoped. In fact, quite recently my days at school have been getting quite longer in general. I always leave at 6:30am but lately I haven’t been getting home until 8:30pm. Such is the life of a full-time student, and sometimes, that life can really overwhelm you. That’s where God stepped in.

Last night I was at home continuing my work after a long day at school when this verse came to my mind.

Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

It was as if God was saying, “Jeremy, take a break for a minute, take your eyes off of school, and just think about me for a minute.”

So I did.

I started thinking about what God was trying to tell me with this verse, and it led me to realize a truth that sometimes I just plain forget. Things like school are important, but everything else in life pales in comparison to the glory of our God, who is exalted on high and on earth. Our lives are busy but sometimes it’s good to take a moment to slow down and refocus on what life is about. Yes, we have responsibilities at work, at school, and at the home, but sometimes I forget that I’m supposed to be doing my schoolwork for the glory of God, not the glory of Jeremy. Sometimes I forget that it’s ok to pray to God other times throughout the day rather than right before (and during) and exam. Sometimes I forget that my purpose and identity in life isn’t found in school, but in God.

Sometimes it feels like my life is about getting good grades and learning the material. Spending so much time at school really makes me feel like my identity is a full-time student. I know that to be false, however. In reality, I am a full-time follower of Jesus Christ cleverly disguised as an engineering student. That can be easy to forget. Thankfully, I serve a God loving enough to gently remind me with His Word.