Throughout this exam and deadline season, this has been my prayer: “Father, your spirit is with us, come and change the atmosphere”.
The other day a friend mentioned that at this point in the year, a simple “how are you doing?” becomes a heavily loaded question, and it’s easy for all of our conversations to centre on dissertations, deadlines and exams. Our work can quickly take over: defining our emotional state, our identity and our value. Everything else takes a backseat. This can be the most natural thing, but it’s not a good thing!
As Christians, everywhere we go, God comes with us. Ever since we submitted ourselves to God who gave everything so that we could know him ‘our lives filled up with light’ – 2 Corinthians 4:6. Paul puts it this way in his letters to the Corinthians…
You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16
And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. 2 Corinthians 3:17
This means that because of God in us, we have the ability to change the atmosphere that prevails during exam time; both for ourselves and for those around us. Because our identity isn’t in our grades or future plans, the pressure is lifted off. And we have the amazing opportunity to allow our friends who don’t know Jesus to experience something of that too. It could look like listening to them when their upset, helping them to revise, encouraging them, praying for them, or simply being a smiling and happy face.
The culture of exam and deadline stress is difficult to shake off, and in no way do I want to add to that by making you feel guilty about it! This week I felt guilty and a bit lost when I decided to take an evening off after arriving home from work at 8pm. But I do want to invite you into a different and easier way. Jesus said this…
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”- Mathew 11:28-30
This isn’t another thing for you to stress about, but an invitation to hand exams and deadlines over to Jesus and allow him to change the atmosphere. Throughout this exam and deadline season, you’re invited to pray this too: “Father, your spirit is with us, come and change the atmosphere”.
