'Be Still' - THAT I

 
‘Be still and know that I am God’ Psalm 46:10
 
Exam season, definitely not my favourite time of the year when I was at school!  On the bright side, summer is usually just around the corner, and all the hard work you put in now could really make a difference.  It can feel like a lot of pressure to revise and prepare, not to mention thinking about what you’ll do in the future, and if you get the grades, you need to do what you have planned.  The unknown can be scary, but let’s focus on the God we do know and who knows us.
 
We can lean on our faith to help with the overwhelming feelings that might pop up.  We can find rest in knowing that God is in control, and He has an amazing plan for you which is even better than your plan – even if it takes a while for you to see that!  The thing about God is that He loves us and only wants what is best for us.  Something I read recently might be good to remember; it was that ‘nothing can keep me from all God has for me.’  Read that again, ‘nothing can keep me from all God has for me.’  So, when we fear that grades will hold us back, or we’ll not know what to answer in an exam, we can rest in knowing that nothing can keep us from what God has planned for us!  How amazing?!
 
‘Be still and know that I am God’ is a really popular verse, one I have heard many times over the past year, as the world seems anything but still.  It reminds me of when Jesus calms the storm in Mark 4:35-41.  Like the disciples, we can become anxious and scared in many situations.  They were in the middle of the sea of Galilee in a fishing boat when a storm began, and Jesus was asleep.  They woke Him and asked Him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  Sometimes we speak to God like this too, “God, don’t you care if I don’t do well enough to get into my first choice of a university course?”
 
But Jesus got up and said three words which calmed the waves, wind and storm completely.  He said, “Quiet!  Be still!”  I think these three words are something we can say to ourselves when we are overwhelmed or worried about the future.  We naturally focus so much on what is going on around us or in our minds, but this only makes our stresses seem more and more powerful against us.  But what if we focus on God, His power and trusting in His plan for us, even if we’re not entirely sure what that is.  After all, we know His plans are for our good and His glory.
 
We can’t do everything on our own, and we’re not supposed to.  If you are feeling overwhelmed and uncertain, try to speak to family, friends or your teachers.  Your friends might be feeling the same way, and your family and teachers can help support you.  In those moments when you are alone, struggling to focus on revision, or questioning your next move, those are the times to speak directly to God in prayer and tell Him how you’re feeling and ask for His help.  
 
Some prayer points for this exam season could be:
 
  • God, please help me to focus as I revise.
  • Lord, remind me that you are in control no matter what.
  • God, thank you that you have a plan for me, and nothing can stop you.
  • Lord, thank you for understanding my worries and calming my mind.
  • God, help me recognise my weaknesses and rest in your strength.
  • Lord, remind me of your presence with me as I enter the exam hall.
 
 
Exam season might look different this year, or you might be unsure of your plans for what to do next.  But if I could remind you to do one thing through this blog post, it would be to repeat to yourself the words of Jesus ‘Quiet!  Be calm!’ when your mind is running through all possible outcomes about the future.  God is in control and...?
 

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