A’s are Not the Answer

Finished the prelab sheet?

Yes.

Completed this week’s English reading?

Yes.

Ready for the Communication test?

Ready as I’ll ever be!

How’s getting a good amount of sleep going?

It could be better.

Did you make time for God?

Shoot.

This was my mindset the past couple weeks and I was completely stressed out. In the midst of a college semester, many people start to feel overwhelmed with work, and I am no exception.

Last week, I brought up my concerns to a friend and he told me something I could never even fathom doing. Every now and then he takes a day off from all schoolwork. He brought up the point that we tend to place too much stress on grades and school and we equate it with true success—but it’s really not. Ever since then, this thought process has been nagging at me. While I might not have the guts to take a day off anytime soon, I need to change the way I’m prioritizing, and my hunch is many of you have the same struggle. Especially as college students, we place too much importance on getting good grades.

So maybe you spent hours studying for that test and aced it. Great! But how can that feel satisfying if you know your spiritual life is struggling? I’m not saying you shouldn’t spend time for homework, but God comes before it for sure. He didn’t place us on Earth to obtain a 4.0 and make the Dean’s list; I hate to break it to you.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” ~Matthew 28:19

God wants us to spend our days making Him our first priority. Our culture likes to convince us homework, relationships or our career path matter the most—that those are the things we should be putting all of our efforts into. But if you are a Christian, you should maintain the mindset (if you don’t already) that all aspects of our lives have to be viewed from our position in Christ first and foremost. If you are truly holding fast in your relationship with Christ, there should be no worry or stress for any of these topics.

Besides making time for God, you should make time for yourself too. Everyone needs a break. Yeah, you might not get everything done, but that’s okay! Yesterday I took time out to play my flute because that is something that brings me peace. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the first couple months of my college experience it’s that you need to relax. There will always be homework, so take a break now and again. Trust me—I was super stressed too.

The truth: when you reach Heaven’s gates God will not be congratulating you for your A’s.

~Annah