His Plan During The Tough Weeks

I just survived the toughest week of this semester.

Monday consisted of my first college final of the week along with a quiz in a separate college class. Lengthy homework assignments popped up, consuming my nights along with studying for finals. A final on Wednesday, another final on Thursday, a test on Friday. I was up until 2 am on a daily basis. In the midst of all of this, I endured some not-so-fun pain on Monday, hours before I would take my first final. Then, I faced the ACT Saturday morning.

Enough venting though! God is faithful. This week might have been long and oh-so-very stressful, but the Lord's love shined in all the dark places. God gave me a strength and a peace that is like no other. Finals came back with 100%s. Pain (from Monday's health issues) died down during the final and completely left by that night.  Everything was accomplished on time and with success.

I can say without any doubt in my mind that none of these victories would have occurred if it weren't for the Lord's hand in my life. He is good. And He never stops revealing His goodness to me. Never.

Yet this week wasn't entirely covered with victories. As I faced the ACT this morning, I was exhausted. I gave it my all though. I've studied when I could over the past few weeks. I tried hard to focus and accomplish a lot. But while I don't struggle as much with the questions, I struggle so much with timing. If you know anything about these college entrance exams, you know how much time they give you compared to the number of questions provided. I am not a good test taker when it comes to time. While I put most of my studying efforts on the two tests that I struggle the most with timing, I came back to the exact same problem this morning and still did not achieve much more than half of that subject's test.

However, I put the ACT in the Lord's hands. Maybe, just maybe, He'll need it for His plan. And if that's the case, I know with all certainty that He will provide a miracle, despite that I don't see a way. There is no limit to what He can do. But I know that He has good plans for me and that this test will not affect the doors He will open. If He needs it, He will provide. If He doesn't, the doors will still open.

I want to encourage every high school and college student that every test, whether it's the ACT/SAT or your college or high school finals, does not define who you are. Your score does not lower your intelligence or have any say in how bright you are. It does not determine the rest of your future, despite what anyone says. Most of all, it does not affect who you are: a child of God, a son or daughter of the One True King!

So prepare hard. Do your best. But give it over to the Lord. He will use your preparation and your skills to do great things. I've learned throughout this entire semester that when you give everything over to Him, He really does move. The good grades will come. I know that I could not have received all of these 100%s without His help. But even when the good grades don't come, He is still good. As for me, if He needs an extremely high ACT score to open a particular door, or particularly provide a certain scholarship, He will perform a miracle. But if not, the doors will still open. If I just follow His will and plan, that ACT score will not matter. It does not define who I am. It does not determine where I am going.

The same goes for you.