When the Waves come in...

I am very happy to announce that my exams for 2011 are now complete! 


They went well and I feel the two months hard revision was worth it :)


As you can imagine, having become a bit of a social recluse over the last two months it is a big relief to be able to go out with friends and have free time again with no feeling of obligation to revise or guilt if I don't or am unable to do as much as I think was possible.


What has surprised me though is the feelings of relief and freedom have shown me how stressed I actually have been the last month or so. It scares me a little bit that, without realising, my attitude has been impaired by the weight of determination to do well and pressure to succeed that was on me. I am already praying that God would help me handle it better next time.


But what really pleased me is that I actually didn't notice the stress. It didn't overcome me and, actually, didn't even come close. It's like God lifted me up above the worst of it.


It reminded me of a Parable Jesus told:-

Matthew 7:24-29 : The Wise and Foolish Builders

 ²⁴ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

    ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

    ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

    ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

   

 ²⁸When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,

    ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

I am blessed because by giving my life to Jesus and trusting in Him my life is built upon the Rock that Jesus is in our lives. He supports us, encourages us and helps us all the way to the amazing things He has given us to do, even when we don't see it or know it.


When the waves such as exam stress comes crashing into my life, Jesus lifts me up above it and I can go on through the storm.


What is your life built on? A rock that can lift you above the biggest of storms or the sand that will take all the punishment helplessly?