University Student and Spiritual Health

As student counsel per se, there is no other advice I would give to (especially, first year) university students than to pin point the important of spiritual health above all thing during this time of transition. Friends, give careful attention to the time you set aside for reading and studying your Bible and, listening and speaking to God in prayer. Godly people in the Bible are closely associated with both of those habits. Simply put: pursue continuous communication with God.

For examples, as Joshua begins a new chapter in his life as the leader of Israel, God gave him this invitation: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8, NIV). Again, earlier before young Samuel was called to be the prophet of Israel, he called out to God by saying: “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). Or did you read about the passion of the Berean Christians as it is recorded: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scripture every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

Through the reading and studying of your Bible, the Lord wants you to enjoy both a more successful life on this earth (in God’s terms and definitions) and a certain eternity in life to come for the Bible “are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Your spiritual well-being will be greatly enhanced as you spent time with God’s Word during your studies in the university.

Secondly, spend time also in prayer. Successful living is closely linked with how frequent you are to speaking and listening to God in prayer. As a university student and a lifetime student of the Lord of the universe, you are to believe wholeheartedly the fact that a believer’s prayer is “powerful and effective” (James 5:16). Jesus Himself extends the invitation to pray as He said: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). If the Lord said so, you better believe and obey.

Friends, I’m not prophesying here but I’m telling you the truth, that your day as a university or college student will be filled with more demands on your time than you can imagine. Time spent in reading and studying you Bible and time spent in prayer can easily take a backseat to the pressing demands of your hectic schedule. Trust me, it will happened soon either you like it or not. But let me tell you another truth – you can design and set aside time for both if only you make it a habit and priority starting: NOW!  Ask God, ask God to give you the desire to know and enjoy Him each day of your life. You can never regret that you had set aside time for God’s Word and prayer, but you will definitely regret later if you don’t.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.