Up there with weddings, births, and deaths, final year exams are one of those massive events in our lives. It is the destination of all our years of study, and it can directly affect what we’re going to do with ourselves for the next 10 years of our lives (if not the whole thing!). We can all agree it’s a big deal!
Pressure applies itself from all different directions, and Church can feel like the straw that breaks the camel's back.
With all of the different requests on our time, meeting for church or bible study can quickly jump from being “essential” to “negotiable” in our timetables.
After all, we know that “going to church” isn’t the thing that makes us a Christian, it’s God’s grace to us in Jesus, so maybe Sundays can take a rest while prep for the “Big Quiz” continues … right?
While we don’t want to make going to church an idol, there are still plenty of good reasons to make it a priority we can hold onto during exam time. With that in mind, let me present…
4 reasons to keep going to church during your exams
1. Big vs Best: Yes, your exams are a big deal. They're big, but not the best thing around. God promises those people who put their trust in Jesus, that they will inherit ETERNAL LIFE! It’s good to be reminded of that when our whole world feels like it rests on one set of exams.
2. Comfort and Calm: When we feel like life is a bit of a storm, meeting together with other Christians can give us comfort. When we spend time in Christian company, we’re reminded of Isaiah’s great words:
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:28-29)
3. Ministry Mindedness: By attending church, you are setting a great example to others of the priority that you put on growing closer to God. It is also a good reminder to people at church to pray for you at this time. You’d be surprised how many of the older people at your church might be praying for you right now!
4. Set the pace!: It’s amazing to find out that life doesn’t get much slower after year 12. There will always be big events on the horizon that will tempt us to put God on the backburner. Now is the time to set the pace that you hope to keep for the rest of your life!