Good Grades Despite Fears And Challenges
As a final-year medical student in Singapore, I was deeply troubled and had great fears about passing my examinations because of my lack of practice and medical knowledge. As a result, I became a very angry person. I would get upset with my family members and friends whenever they tried to reassure me or spend time with me. I always felt that the time could be better spent studying.
I was also struggling with the daily demands of ward work. I feared being embarrassed in front of my peers due to my lack of knowledge. As the exams came around the corner, I continued feeling utterly inadequate and defeated. To make matters worse, I also got into a huge argument with my parents.
Then, I remembered Pastor Prince saying during a church service that faith comes by hearing the gospel. He also said it wasn’t about how much faith we have, but how much faith our Lord Jesus has. Our faith may fail, but His faith never fails.
So on the way to the hospital every day, I would listen to Pastor Prince’s CD messages. I would also listen to his message excerpts on YouTube before going to bed. Gradually, my mood improved when I discovered that the Lord loves me regardless of my exam results. I also learned that I am deeply favored and blessed by God, not because of how hard I work or study, but because Jesus died on the cross for me. This deep realization of God’s love for me touched my heart and allowed me to boldly expect and receive His grace in my life.
During the study break just before the exams, I learned to meditate on Scripture after listening to Pastor Prince’s message on meditation. Throughout the break, I meditated on 2 Corinthians 12:9. I even wrote this verse on the plain paper that was given to students at every exam and meditated on it during the exams. I also constantly told my heavenly Father that the battle is the Lord’s. However, the exams still proved to be difficult for me and I made many mistakes. I was very discouraged and the fear of failing crushed me. I cried after every exam.
At my lowest point, I told God that if He wanted all the glory, then the exam is His to worry about, not mine. To be honest, I was shaken by the exams and did not know whether He had heard me. But He was kind and directed me to Pastor Prince’s sermon where I learned that He is always able and willing to help me make the impossible possible. I held on to that promise dearly.
I have now received my exam results and I thank God that I performed way above and beyond what I had expected. If not for His grace, His faithfulness, His wisdom, and His patience with me, I would never have gotten good results or finished medical school. On top of that, He has blessed me financially and I now have enough to pay off my student debt!
Praise the Lord for His goodness and grace, and may all glory be unto Him! Thank you, Pastor Prince, for pointing me back to our Lord Jesus. Keep on preaching!
Singapore