STRESS!
Most teenagers know this familiar feeling that comes with subject tests, pop-quizzes, mid-terms, finals or other tests such as the SAT and ACT. The stress is even greater when you finally admit… that YOU did NOT study!
A prayer in itself generally won’t get you that A that you are drooling for, the B you might grin at, the C that makes you shrug, or the D that you are sweating to get so you don’t get grounded and the car keys taken away. And for those of you who might consider praying for an F… well… you need prayer for bigger things than that.
So why pray? If the prayer won’t get you the grade, what’s the point? The point is, though God won’t ‘make the grade’ for you, He can help you study better and relax more when taking a test. By praying before a test, you can focus better on what you’ve learned, and God can help you remember the things you studied for.
Here is a simple prayer you can say at exam time:
Ok, so… I’m totally stressed, Lord. I’m so freaked out about this test, my brain is like soggy cereal, and let’s just say I’m really glad I wore deodorant today. Seriously though, I want to do well. I have studied, but tests make me nervous and forgetful. I know it’s probably not the biggest world problem, with people starving, people turning away from you, people in wars, and more. But, Lord, it’s what I’m facing right now, and I need you in this time. So, please, help me remember the things I’ve learned and give me peace so I can focus.
Lord, I need your help to look at this information so I can remember and apply it well on my exam. I need you to help me feel more confident going into the test and relax a bit so I can concentrate. Lord, please help the people around me to understand that I need to focus and study, so they won’t be a distraction.
Give me the peace, when it is all said and done, to know that I walked in and did my best. I pray, Lord, for your guiding hand as I take the exam, and I ask for your welcome calm when I walk out of the classroom after.
Lord, thank you for all the blessings you have placed in my life. Thank you for being here in this time when I feel a bit overwhelmed. Thank you for always being there and allowing me to rely on you. Praise your name. Amen
