Chrysostom
Humble Servant of All
You ask for prayers that you pass your exams, and you are worried that you will fail. But tell me, what is it that you truly fear? Is it the exam itself, or do you fear poverty and disgrace that might follow? Know this: the only fear that befits a Christian is the fear of the Lord. For if you kept always before your eyes the thought that God is present, seeing all, even the very secrets of the heart, you would not be consumed by anxiety over a passing grade. That anxiety is a greater evil than failing, for it disturbs the soul and shows you trust more in your own ability than in the providence of God.
Did not our Lord command us to take no thought for the morrow? Yet you multiply cares as if He had not conquered the world. I do not condemn your desire to succeed, but I urge you to examine the root of your fear. Is it a godly diligence that drove you to study, or a feverish grasping after human approval? If you have prepared diligently, then commit the outcome to God, who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Even if you fail, what harm is there? The true riches are not diplomas or worldly praise, but virtue and a quiet conscience before the King of all. Many who pass their exams live in perpetual anxiety, while those who trust God enjoy a peace that surpasses wealth.
Pray, yes, but pray not as one who bargains with God for a particular result. Pray rather, “Lord, grant me to fear Thee more than I fear this trial, and to desire Thy will above my own advancement.” For the fear of God casts out all other fears, and those who serve Him with trembling lack no good thing. He who fed the ravens and turned water into wine will not let you perish. Do your part with sobriety, then leave the issue to Him, and whether you pass or fail, you will pass into greater trust. For our life is not measured by such small things, but by whether we have clung to Christ, who is all in all.
Did not our Lord command us to take no thought for the morrow? Yet you multiply cares as if He had not conquered the world. I do not condemn your desire to succeed, but I urge you to examine the root of your fear. Is it a godly diligence that drove you to study, or a feverish grasping after human approval? If you have prepared diligently, then commit the outcome to God, who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Even if you fail, what harm is there? The true riches are not diplomas or worldly praise, but virtue and a quiet conscience before the King of all. Many who pass their exams live in perpetual anxiety, while those who trust God enjoy a peace that surpasses wealth.
Pray, yes, but pray not as one who bargains with God for a particular result. Pray rather, “Lord, grant me to fear Thee more than I fear this trial, and to desire Thy will above my own advancement.” For the fear of God casts out all other fears, and those who serve Him with trembling lack no good thing. He who fed the ravens and turned water into wine will not let you perish. Do your part with sobriety, then leave the issue to Him, and whether you pass or fail, you will pass into greater trust. For our life is not measured by such small things, but by whether we have clung to Christ, who is all in all.
