A DIVE INTO MY EXPERIENCE

As a University student, we are greatly blessed with loads of free time. Planning our semester schedules, whether we join a CCA, and how we spend our holiday breaks were up to us. For myself, I chose to join a University choir CCA as a hobby and to continue learning more about vocal techniques that can benefit me as a choir member. Before I joined, I made a resolution to always prioritise church services and activities over choir, which included night services.

JUGGLING PRIORITIES

In the first week of the Semester, I found out that the choir practices on Monday starts midway through the University campus fellowships. I had a choice of skipping the fellowship and going for choir practices, OR to not join choir practices at all. After some thought and prayers, I decided to keep to my resolve of prioritising God and went for choir practices late after the fellowship ended.

It was not always a smooth journey as it wasn’t easy juggling many activities. I also faced situations where my faith was tested and I had to stand firm in my faith to not join in activities that go against the word of God, such as Christmas carolling. This went on in my first 2 years of Uni, and when things got busier for me in Year 3, I decided to stop going for choir practices.

During long semester breaks, most of my University friends will either find internship opportunities, work part-time or take a break and enjoy their holidays. I remembered that my peers and I spent our time mainly in church to help in church camps and training courses. To my non-church friends, I was the strange person who spent my holidays in an unusual way. But to me, having the opportunity and being able to serve God in different ways were more important than gaining work experience or learning new skills that may or may not help me academically.

When else will I have so much free time to serve God, if not during Uni?

ETERNAL INVESTMENTS

Though I remembered having back-to-back church events/activities in my holiday breaks and not having much time to rest physically, I always felt refreshed spiritually and really close to God. I always looked forward to those precious time to serve God amid my semesters because I could improve on my Bible knowledge and draw closer to God through these church events. I encourage all of us who are students to consider what we do in our free time and dedicate them to God. It will be worth it!

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM

Looking back, I really thank God for the opportunity to serve more during my University days and blessing us with a relatively smooth journey of finding jobs after graduating from Uni. To those of us who may be worried about not doing x number of internships or not having sufficient references to find a job, let us remember that we have an almighty God who is in control of all things. Seek Him first, and all these things will be added unto us.

After all, we are full-time Christians, part-time students.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3)

FOR US TO PONDER:

• Do I ever struggle with FOMO because I feel there’s better opportunities I should be pursuing with my limited time?

• In my own personal University journey, how can I learn to seek first His Kingdom?

• How much have I accumulated in my ‘eternal investments’?