When you're a busy college student, sometimes things can get overwhelming. Extremely overwhelming. Juggling your academics, social life, extracurricular activities, all while still trying to get enough sleep at night and possibly even working a job or two?
Your friends constantly feel like you don't like them anymore, your grades are slipping, sometimes it can all be too much, it seems.
But that is when we are given a choice. Either succumb to being overwhelmed and let it break you down, or you turn to the Lord for strength and ask Him to lift you up and give you guidance. This may seem like there is an obvious choice, and an easy one, but that is far from true. Sometimes it is easy to just curl up and be defeated by your seemingly endless responsibilities. Then some days it may seem easier to fall to your knees in prayer asking the Lord to pick you back up.
The Lord commands us in Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
That's some pretty powerful scripture right there. The Lord of Lords is commanding you to do something. Are you going to ignore that? He commands us to be strong and face our fears. Not cower in the face of a new, busy week that we feel as if though we will never get through.
In Philippians 4:19 we are told, "my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Jesus Christ." all we have to do is ask. God will take care of us if we petition to Him.
We are urged to be content with what we have. To enjoy our busy lives, because He will lift us up and give us the strength we need to continue on.
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"Never will I leave you we are told. If that's not the most comforting message a struggling college student could hear then I don't know what is.
We don't have to worry or be anxious because we are called to cast that onto Him and He will rid us of those things in 1 Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you".
College is a very different time. It's a new environment, you are an adult now but not quite in the 'real world' yet, it's a new place, the schoolwork is harder, you are making new friends and new memories, everything is different. That is when things can be overwhelming and discouraging. In turn, that is when we are supposed to call on the Lord to give us guidance.
So whenever you feel like you're overwhelmed and just don't want to try anymore, remember that God promises us that He will take care of us when we need His strength, and even when we feel like we don't need it.
