SuCcEsS iN sTudiEs!

sUcCeSs iN sTuDiEs...

Many students desire good results in their studies. Let's view from the Christian perspective on how to achieve success not only in studies, but to many a target we may have.

1st Corinthians 9:24-27

24    Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25    Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26    Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating air.
27    No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I've preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1) Have a winning mindset (v24)

Deuteronomy 28:13 -- The Lord will make you the head, not the tail.

God has made a promise: He will make you the head and not the tail! The problem lies with us. Remember, it always takes 2 hands to clap. When He want to make us the head, we have to do our part by doing our best.

Some people never do well because they do not have this optimistic mindset that they will perform well, in this case, excel in their studies. This is usually brought about by poor self-motivation or poor class environment. If you are in a school where the entire level is streamed according to their academic ability, chances are, the bottom end classes often tend to do worse than what they already did. This is because they aim for the bare minimum. They are contented with just the bare minimum.

These people who are just satisfied with the bare minimum are fearful. Fear of what?! fear of failing! When they have low expectations, and when they don't do well, they feel comforted as it is 'within their target'. They often get jealous and envious of people who excel.

We should have a sure win attitude in our studies. Like the athletes who are competing in national or international events, they train many many months or years to compete in a barely few minutes competition. In the end? They achieve extremely good results. Your friends who are consistent in their daily work and revision, and are excellent in their work. In the end? They too, achieve good results. Even though they might be non-believers, God still bless them with this as what they are doing are of biblical values.

2) Have self-discipline. (v25a, v27a)

2nd Timothy 1:7 -- For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and of self-discipline.

Actually i think the heading is self-sufficient, but nonetheless, after believing God for the best that can happen, it's time to put in some action. More often than not, we PROCRASTINATE... that's where discipline comes into place.

Even if you want God to do miracles, you gotta do your best first. It's like a door, which needs 2 keys to open. We hold one, God hold one. Even if God unlocks His part and tries to pull open or even blow up the door, it will not open until we play our part by putting the key into the keyhole and turning it.

So perhaps, we should start on the race to good results by sitting down now and study. Not only for today, but regularly to the best of our human abilities, and let God do the rest, which might be deemed as a miracle.

Proverbs 13:4 -- The sluggard craves and get nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
Proverbs 21:5 -- The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

ah... I think the above verse should tells you something about last-minute slip-shod revision. (get it?)

3) Have clear goals (v26)

Whenever we do something, we have a mental target to hit. Example, when we go out, we know where we are going, when we do a project, we know what is the desired end results etc.

When we have clear goals, we will reap clear results with the combined efforts of the above 2 points. Conversely, when we have blurred goals, we have blurred results and the quality of work done will be... ermz... slip-shod, untidy, poorly done, and all other negative comments.

Another analogy: Imagine you are driving a car. Would you rather drive with a clear view of your road that you are traveling on, and perhaps even your destination, or would you prefer to drive in a fog? Of course any sane person would tell you that they drive on a clear day with clear destination. it's the same in our studies!

2nd Timothy 4:7 -- I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

So, only when we have a optimistic mindset, with adequate actions and goals, we will excel. This is not only applicable in the area of studies but basically in every aspect of life.

Acknowledgements:

Lesson: The A Factor: Success in Studies
Speaker of lesson: Ps Jeff
Venue and date: Y-Hope Youth Service, Nexus Auditorium, 22nd September 2001.

Scriptures are taken from the NIV version of the Holy Bible.

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