You're almost there...
[The end of school is in sight...
you're now facing your greatest challenge.]
"My greatest challenge?" you might ask. "I thought that keeping up was the hardest part.... What's this about finishing school?"
My own teacher once compared it to an Olympic marathon runner. The athlete has pushed every single muscle in his body to do its absolute best. He has run 25.5 grueling miles around and around and around the track, numbing both his body and his mind. He has endured countless hours of pain and sweat and tension to make it to this once-in-a-lifetime event.... Now the finish line is just ahead of him. He can see it within a few more yards; victory is almost his.
[What does he do?]
Does he suddenly slow up, answering his body's pleading for rest, before his feet cross the line? Absolutely not. Even though he can't imagine that he has any left, he gathers every last ounce of strength he has and dashes forward once more. The greatest challenge comes when he is 10 feet away from victory, his entire body screaming at him to slow down and take the victory easily. But where is the glory in walking across the finish line? How does "just making it" over enhance his career?
[Are you satisfied with just "making it" through?]
Are you content to just ease over the finish line at the end of the school year? "I'll just make sure that I get a passing grade.... I won't study as hard for those last few tests. I mean, there's only one or two more months left anyway...."
I know this is the hard part of the year. You are burned. out. with schoolwork. Procrastination and rest are your friends. The temptation is so hard to resist...and many of us don't. Just get through it; don't strive for excellence ... don't finish with a great victory. Be content with just finishing.
Its a hard thing. But God calls us to do it. So do it in obedience to God. Do it for His glory. Do it for your "good testimony" before men. Don't be content to "survive" the last weeks of school. The end is just in sight, your victory is just around the bend. So take hold of it; seize it; do it with "all your might."
Do Hard Things.
Tags:
daily life with Christ,
school,
Veronika
1 comment:
These are some great and true thoughts, Veronika!
I often get a similar picture when thinking about the Christian life. In a similar way to your statement, "I thought that keeping up was the hardest part" ... so too do I often think, "I thought that keeping my head justabove the waters of temptation, gross sin etc was the hardest part" ... when in actual fact, the hardest part is to rise far above just "keeping my head above water" -- it's living a life whose whole general tenor is one of victory in Christ.
But praise be our Lord, "a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth"! He has promised that in all things He "is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" and that we can be more than conquerors through Him in all things. Also that He is able to "subdue all things to Himself" and to keep our feet from stumbling. In light of such great mercy what else can we say but "Forgive me Lord for my half-heartedness. Help me to live like Jesus!"
I pray that the Lord will help you, Veronika and all the others who are at this hectic time of the year to overcome by the Blood of the Lamb!
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