Dear JC Student,

Let’s be real — Junior College (JC) is really tough.

From the moment you step into school, teachers start reminding you of the daunting examination ahead of you: The A-Levels.

You quickly realise that all other tests don’t really mean anything, other than a proxy for how you would fare in the A-Levels.

To have a single examination be the sole determining factor in your university (and thereafter career) pursuit — that’s terrifying.

And unless you’re a genius, you’ll probably start struggling in some of the subjects, with seemingly lacklustre improvement with each passing exam.

Add on external commitments, friendship issues and family situations… Soon enough you’ll find yourself stressed, anxious and fearful.

For me, the two subjects I struggled with the most in JC were General Paper and Economics.

Even after putting in loads of effort, I found myself stagnating, unable to get the improvement I desired.

I arranged for as many consultations as I could with my teachers — but to little avail.

God wants to walk through JC with you. He knows all about your struggles and your aspirations.

I had to constantly fight the expectations I had of myself, and worse — the expectations others had of me.

Not to mention, countless prayers seeking divine intervention for a miraculous turnaround in my results seemingly remained unanswered.

Was God still there for me?

JC and Jesus Christ

Amidst the hustle and bustle of JC life, many of us tend to push God aside and neglect time spent with Him.

Then somehow, we remember God right before an examination, mutter a quick prayer under our breath and then expect Him to come through for us.

Perhaps, in all of His grace and mercy, He does.

But that’s not how we should be treating God through JC.

The simple truth is that God wants to walk through JC with you. He knows all about your struggles and your aspirations.

So many times we fail to see that because we use our results or our current situation as a reflection of God in our life. We associate stellar grades with God being with us, and vice versa.

But God never promised us a smooth-sailing life, did He? What God did promise us, though, is:

• Rest when we are weary and burdened (Matthew 11:28)
• Perfect peace for all who fix their thoughts upon Him and trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3)
• In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

This means that finding God in the midst of JC involves understanding clearly what He promises.

I’m not saying don’t pray for good results (please do). I’m saying that just because your results don’t meet your standards, it does not mean God is not with you.

Next, it involves separating your results from you — detach your identity and worth from your grades.

After separating your results from you, put your results in God’s hands.

Then make the decision to surrender your entire JC life to Him and live each day in complete trust and obedience.

That is how you can you truly experience God’s peace.

As you begin to figure out what God wants to do in you during JC and the person He wants you to become, it brings perspective to the obstacles you face.

It’s gonna be hard, but it’s worth it

As someone who gets stressed really easily, I found myself having to make that decision of surrender every single day.

I read verses over myself every morning, reminding myself that I am a child of God.

There are days I feel absolutely worn out and devoid of hope. Those days will come, and these are the days where choosing intentionally (despite how crappy you feel) to spend time with God is paramount.

I thank God that the circuit breaker period gave me the opportunity to realign my priorities, to set my focus on Him, and to renew my trust in Him daily.

I encourage you to create your own “circuit breaker” moments — just you and God alone, studies and problems aside.

It is through these moments you’ll find the strength to push through.

You were never meant to run this race alone.

If you’re not already in one, reach out and intentionally surround yourself in community, for you were never meant to run this race alone.

Be present in the body of Christ.

Again, I thank God for a great community around me — never failing to encourage me to press on, to pray for me and to run the journey of faith with me. I could never have done it without a community.

I also thank God for eventually blessing me with outstanding results.

In those “circuit breaker” moments, God made a promise to me that I would eventually do well, which was what I held on to when things looked bleak.

Outstanding results aside, God has a different plan for everyone. He teaches each one of us different lessons.

So don’t let the results of others define your own. Your end result might not be the same, but the big God we serve stays the same.

Friend, God’s in this with you — it’s time you realise He’s fighting the battle alongside you. You can do this, I know you can.

Cheering you on always,

Asher