It can be pretty stressful for students to find a balance between their academic and spiritual lives. This is in large part due to so many activities in the school. In most cases, we have classes to catch up with, an assignment to write, a seminar to present and an exam to prepare for. Outside these academic engagements, we still have our spiritual life to cater for. These two aspects of life are very important to the extent that none should be neglected. Inasmuch as we try to be take our studies seriously, we should also try as much as possible to make provisions for the nourishment of our spiritual life. We are not meant to be slothful in our studies (academic work) and we are not also expected to be lukewarm in the spirit (spiritual life). When there is no balance in these two areas of life, you will find a student whose spiritual life is suffering from kwashiorkor but their academic life is suffering from obesity. You over-feed the other but starve the other.
As important as studies are, we should bear in mind that there is much more to life than studies. Reacting to busyness by choosing to pull back and do nothing but study is a denial of the fact that we have so much to offer our fellow students. As Christians, to pull completely out of extracurricular activities risks closing ourselves off from opportunities that allow God to shape us in school and use us in the lives of other people. A woman that has twins must ensure that the two are always well-fed. In our case, the twins we have are these two important aspects of our life.
HOW TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND SPIRITUAL LIFE
1. Discipline: To strike a balance between our academic and spiritual lives, we need cultivate discipline.
-Do not be involved in too many activities that can reduce your efficiency.
-Avoid unprofitable engagements that have no bearing with realizing your goal.
-If you are into leadership positions, try and delegate responsibilities where necessary.
-Always be brief and straight to the point on any appointment.
2. There should be no separation between our academic and spiritual lives: A spiritual person is not the one who is always in and around the Church. Spirituality is a way of life. It is a lifestyle and everything we do (including our academic life) should have some traces of spirituality. We should not operate our academic life away from God. Bring God into your academic life but do not be lazy. In taking our studies seriously, we nourish our spiritual life. In comporting ourselves in the classrooms, we portray our spiritual life. The character and lifestyle of the Christian student in the Church on Sunday should not be different when such a student finds himself or herself outside the Church.
3. Determination: This has to do with having a strong desire to please God in a crooked environment and living a life of holiness each day. The university is often perceived as an unholy place. Most people imagine that being spiritual in such an environment is very difficult to even contemplate. But that is not true. We have to stand out and not be mass-minded. We should not allow ourselves to be influenced by the wrong decisions and lifestyles of others. We should be guided by our religious/Christian principles. We should offer examples of holiness.
4. Set your priorities right: We become more focused when we set priorities. We should avoid excesses. Do not be found praying in the Church when you are meant to be in the classroom studying. Do not also be studying when you are meant to be praying. Organize your schedule and allot time to each of these aspects of your life. Religious activities are noble duties but we should not attend every religious program at the neglect of our academic work.
5. Diligence: Be fervent in spirit. Start each day with a quality quiet time, study your bible every day, attend fellowship with other believers, and make friends with those who share the same Christian values with you.
CONCLUSION:
Bear in mind that Christianity is not a hideout for academic failure. Spirituality is not an excuse for your bad grades neither should academics be the reason why you should not have a good spiritual life. Set your priorities right. You can be an intelligent student who is at the same time very committed to his/her spiritual life. I think when we take our spiritual life seriously, our academic life will also be enhanced, and when we take our academic life seriously, our spiritual life becomes stronger.
#MBA21
Money Can’t Buy Happiness