Trust God in the Process
I am writing this testimony to encourage someone out there and to give God thanks for what he has done and the great things He will continue to do in my life.
I am currently in my second year of nursing school and last semester was one of the hardest semesters in my life. I have always been an A student and I have always gotten excellent grades, but last semester things did not go as planned. I was failing almost every test and quiz in many of my courses and the way my program is set up, if someone fails 2 courses they are withdrawn from the program (the passing grade in my program was a 65% or a C+ and if someone fails a course that have to successfully redo it before they can proceed further in the program).
Last semester I was failing 3 out of the 5 courses I had, and I was devastated. I remember doing tests and not knowing what I was even writing and walking out of the testing rooms with tears in my eyes knowing that I had failed. I would study and study, but I would still fail the tests and quizzes and I began to ask God why, why is this happening to me. At times I felt so alone, lost and very confused. However, growing up in a Christian household I was taught to pray in every circumstance despite how am feeling or what is going on around me.
I began to pray and cry out to God and I remember the spirit of God ministering to me as I was crying in my car one particular day. I remember God telling me to
“Be still and know that I am God…”
which is the scripture portion psalm 46:10 and at that moment I knew that God has a plan for my life and that although things may not go my way God will bring me through.
As the semester when on, I kept praying and kept believing that God will bring me through and that I will not fail any course. By midterms, I was only failing two courses and I told God that if it is His will that I remain in this nursing program let it be done in my life according to His will because God’s will and purpose for our lives is far greater than we could ever imagine. I kept reminding myself that God is in control and that His plans for me are of good and not of evil (Jeremiah 29:11).
As exam time came, I went into my exams failing two courses and by God’s grace passed one of the courses that I was failing prior to the exam. At first, I was upset and disappointed because I thought God was going to make me pass both courses and I only passed one. But then I began to realize that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not like our thoughts.
I also realized that it is God’s will for me to be in this program and that by God’s grace I will successfully graduate this program. God does everything for a reason and at times we may not understand why certain things happen to us, but we have to believe and know that God is in control. He is working it out and turning things around for our good.
I just want to give God all the thanks and all the praise because I am currently redoing the course I failed, and I am now getting an A in the course, and I never thought that would be possible. Throughout this whole process, I believe that God was drawing me closer to Him because in hard and difficult times we tend to seek and draw nearer to God.
I just want to encourage anyone who is going a similar situation as mine or anyone experiencing any academic hardship, remember that the plans God has for you are of good and not of evil, plans to give you a hope and expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).
These are some of the scriptures that helped me through this whole process and hopefully they encourage and help you as well:
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.
Philippians 4:13 -“I can do all this through him who gives me strength”.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths”.
Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
This testimony lifted my spirit. It’s my nature to need to be able to see the path forward to feel okay but I am reminded everyday that God has the power to show us who’s God. I will wait patiently on the lord because he is always right on time.
Thank you. This testimony uplifted me. I am currently in a situation in which I have to pass a class to be officially in my major. If I do not achieve a grade of a B+ all the work I have done towards this major will not count. I studied very hard for a whole week, knew the subject like the back of my hand. When i get to the exam, I blank, completely get an anxiety attack. I still am waiting to get my results back and have been praying to the Lord that if it is his will it will happen. I have been a nervous wreck since I did not perform as well as I had prepared. The lord has shown me he is always with me though so I continue to pray and if it is his will I will be alright. The scriptures helped me a lot during this time, as I am still waiting to hear my results. At this point in time, I will not look back at it negatively, the exam happened and I did the best of my ability. I will maintain faith.