Admit Both Sides of the Issue

During my Mid-Year Examinations, I got an E for Economics. I wasn't happy. I wasn't satisfied. (#firstworldproblems). I was born to get straight-As, and the E here and E in General Paper was stopping me from that. I was born for excellence, not that I'm subject to excellence, but that God has designed me with ability to excel. And 'E' isn't exactly excellence.

On the other hand, I got 75 percentile, meaning I beat 3/4 of the cohort. Isn't that comforting? My cohort had an average of U, which goes to say I'm pretty above average. My friends (church and school) tell me that I should be grateful for this gift that God has given me. I should be satisfied. I should be thankful and no more. I did relatively much better than my cohort!

What should I do?

Consider Philippians 4:8, where "whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." Excellence in academia fits the bill. And not excellence through underhand means like cheating but through God-given diligence. Diligence is virtuous and one should reap what he sows into his ministry, in this case, as a student.

Now let me clarify, it is not I, but Christ in me, that brings forth excellence. Also, excellence does not need to manifest in the standards of the world, as God determines it. It just so happens that my standard of excellence coincides with that of the world.

So I'll do this: thank God for the current glory, that even though the paper killed the cohort, I did relatively better. Thank God for the present glory. But I won't stop there; I'll eagerly and earnestly expect God for greater glory (aka hope, Romans 5:5), in my case, straight-As in my Promotional Examinations this time. God has designed me with capability for excellence, and I will persevere in His grace, not me studying but Him in me, that I fulfill my role as a student. I don't thank God for the E, per sé, but the determination and diligence that God spurred in me during the struggle from E to A. And His grace will take me to that level of excellence.

Disclaimer: Yes, I desire stunning results, but it's not the end of the world if I don't get them. What matters the most is that I have honored The Lord as a student, and He will honor me.

I will admit both sides of the issue. Thank God for the good and not the bad but the struggle in the bad.

God didn't create bad things like sicknesses and failure. These are the works of the devil or of the flesh. That said, because God is so good, He will take us out of it. Sometimes He takes us out via a struggle to make us stronger. So we thank God not for the struggle but for the strengthening during the struggle. We thank God for the challenge that makes us more resilient and persevering, to tackle on the fight of life. God gives us the victory. Our defeat is a reflection of the moment when we forget God's provision.

So in the midst of sickness, don't thank God for the sickness. Hate the sickness. But thank God that while you aren't immediately healed, The Lord has made you much, much stronger than before due the the struggle with that sickness. Don't stop believing. Don't thank God for the failure or the weakness but His guidance out of that failure and His strength in your weakness.

I'll admit both sides of the issue.

Joel Kindiak