God vs. Studies

“Mariel join ta fellowship this 3 pm ha?”, “Mag-unsa ka karong hapon?” Join ta fellowship ha!”, “Be here at 3 pm ha. Fellowship bya ron.”

This is usually happens in our church, the Bradford United Church of Christ, Inc. Young people tend to invite other people to join the activities and events held in the church. It seems to be an invitation of a lifetime.

But how sad the reality is, when almost all the young people in our church today are turning this down for a reason. “Naa man gud ko buhaton, magstudy.”

Hmm… That’s good! But is it really the studies that keep us avoiding such invitation? Or is it just a default in our mind that comes out when someone invites us to join activities?

Many young people today could not attend services or mass every Sunday and other church activities because they thought they’re busy in school. “They” always make their studies an excuse. What’s worst is “they” even sometimes deliberately make it a hindrance for their own spiritual growth.

Why am I saying this? Who am I anyway? Well, honestly, I was once of those “they”. Many times I had been invited but I always make my studies a reason for not coming though it was really for another reason. And that is I don’t feel comfortable mingling with other young people. Besides, studying as an excuse seems just and reasonable.

I was like those “they” who hesitated before coming to church because of the assignments undone. I was even one of those “they” whose heart and mind were not really in the church but in the school.

What’s really the core of this argument? Is there really such a point of choosing between God and Studies?

These questions were answered by Ate Leah, one of the Sunday school teachers, who was invited by the youth to be the speaker of the topic, God vs. Studies.

First, Ate Leah corrected the topic that afternoon. For her, there is no such thing as equating God with just an aspect of our lives and then contradict it. God, in the first place, should always be our first and highest regard; besides, God isn’t just a part of our lives but the life of our lives. Placing God and studies in opposite ends of the equilibrium is just like comparing a million-dollar-worth gem with a dust in a cupboard!

That was really striking! It was really a day full of realizations! In fact, those words are still playing in my mind.

I know now that the conflict isn’t really between God and our studies, but on how we manage our time. It is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “Everything on earth has its own time and season.” So let us not wait for the deadliest deadline of our school requirements. Accomplish it now!

As Christian, it is true that we also have to excel on our individual fields. I believe that Christian never fails. But if we come to the point of so much engrossment with our studies that we fail to acknowledge God, maybe it’s time for us to think, “Am I really doing it for God or myself only?” Or if we feel like our endurance and hard work in our studies are in vain, why won’t we ask ourselves again, “Is God really with me or am I too fast that I left Him behind?”

Matthew 6:33 states, “Seek ye fist the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all this things shall be added unto you.”

So now, stop that dilemma in our minds for we don’t have to make a choice. For us Christians, God is and always be our choice.

God vs. Studies.. Studies vs. God..not anymore! But God with studies and studies with God!