Guidance and Faith: Navigating Life's Pressures with God's Strength

If you currently feel overwhelmed by exams or any other particular season you’re going through in life, you're not alone. It's easy for us all to get caught up in the stress and pressures of life, but as believers in God and who acknowledge the redemption found in the message of the cross, we have an infinite source of strength that is found from a source which is beyond our own capacities; and is encapsulated in the name of Jesus Christ. However, you may wonder; how can God help me when things get tough and I don’t know what to do? Well, let’s see what principles we can learn from in the word of God. From there we can learn to see how God can help us when things get tough in life.

First and foremost, we must adapt our minds to trust God’s ultimate plan for our lives. There is a well-known Bible verse in the book of Proverbs 3:5-6, which says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (NIV) When we learn to trust God's word to give us wise counsel regarding our lives, we become people who are dependant on His guidance rather than the worries and anxieties that wiegh us down.

This is because we serve a living God who has a historical track-record of success. We can trust His plan for our lives with a confidence that God's plan is always better than anything that we could possibly imagine for ourselves. Even when things seem uncertain, we have the possibility to always surrender our troubles and worries to God through Christ. This is how you can walk in peace through faith even when everything seems chaotic for everyone else. You can keep a cool head because you are aware that God’s plans for us are always for our good.

Secondly, we must surrender ourselves daily to God through prayer. James 4:7 tells us that “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) Basically, when we commit ourselves to the mighty hand of God, He will guide us to have a divine strength to resist the varying temptations of Satan, the enemy of our souls.

We must take a moment each day to submit all of our plans, worries, anxieties, dreams and hopes to God, so that we can ask Him to guide our steps according to His will for us. This will allow us to serve Him with all of our heart. When we surrender our selfish impulses to God, He exchanges it with a holy desire within us that makes us want to do everything in mind of making Him pleased with how we live our lives.

Therefore, we must face life's challenges with a spirit of optimism, for we can be confident that we know God's plans for us are always for our good. Even when our prayers are answered in a way which we didn't expect or wanted. However, optimism sets our thoughts up to have a mindset of positive possibility. Trusting God’s plan for our future transforms our hearts to be filled with a spirit of hope and kindness.

Nevertheless, we must pay full attention to the nudges and whispers of God’s guidance in our life. Asw we already might know, God’s voice often guides us through His Word, prayer, and the counsel of others who are strong in the faith. For example, think back on all of the times you've receieved good counsel from a fellow Christian or when the Lord has come through for you in the past. Upon reflection, you might have not even realised all of the moments He has helped You before. This is a nudge to remind yourself of God’s immeasurable faithfulness, even in the midst of uncertainty.

Yet, in view of this all, we mus make time to pray daily, read the Bible, and fellowship with other believers in Christ to stay connected to God's plan for your life. Not only will other Christians serve as a good reminder for us to be consious of our spiritual conduct, but studying God's word causes us to increase our overall awareness of the things that help us to walk in the light of Christ.

Prayer

Almighty God, as we navigate the ever-changing tides of life and the pressures of meeting deadlines, external pressures and sitting exams, we come before You to ask for strength. In all moments of doubt and stress, help us to turn our focus from our worries anxieties to Your unwavering presence, oh Gof. Above all, Lord, teach us to depend on Your grace in all seasons, trusting that You guide our paths even through the most challenging times.

- Amen -