What Christmas Taught Me This Year...

The first semester of school this year was the toughest it has ever been for me. I am taking 3 AP classes so my homework load was super crazy from day one. I am also very involved in youth group and a tutoring club so two nights of my week are spent at church, leaving only two nights to catch up or get ahead on all my work. I hate having things hang over my head so relaxing is very hard for me. 

Finals were scheduled three days before Christmas break and I couldn't have been happier. Two weeks of no homework, tests, or projects. I was finally going to get to truly relax for the first time in three months. A few days before finals there was talk about a cold day coming the first day of testing. I have never prayed so hard for school to happen in my life. A cold day meant that one day of finals would be rescheduled for the day after break. Sure enough, I woke up the next day and school was cancelled. I burst into tears, I was so close to being able to rest and now I had two tests hanging over my head over Christmas. 

My meltdown was not quick, in fact, it lasted about two hours. I had sensed it coming for a little while I just didn't know when. I cried, I was grumpy, and I didn't want anybody to talk to me about the situation. I wasn't sure what God's plan was in all of this and I didn't really like it.

A few days later, I was sitting st my youth group. My pastor was talking about things that we put above God around Christmas in order to be joyful. That the joy of a present is only temporary and the joy of vacation will only last a little while. It hit me that that was my problem. These past few weeks have revolved around the rest I was looking forward to. The temporary rest that would only last two weeks and then I would have to go back to stress-filled school life. 

So I put all my tiredness aside and rested in the comfort and security of the King that came to earth as a baby and would one day save me from my transgressions. I have never felt so relaxed and even though I still have two tests to take when I get back, I can sit and rest in the presence of the God who already has everything under control.
 
                                 for whoever has entered God's rest has also
                                 rested from his works as God did from his.
                                            ~Hebrews 4:10 (ESV)~

 

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