Late-Semester Motivation

Often, it becomes difficult to remain motivated in our scholastic pursuits late in the semester.  Our initial, eager ambition wanes as our exhaustion mounts, and – especially for those of us who are upper classmen – our efforts may even begin to seem futile (as anyone who has survived the seemingly arbitrary law school grading process can attest).  We may question the value of our labor and fail to recognize what consequences it may have on our futures.  In graduate school, where grades typically have a direct bearing on professional prospects, some may reflect on the current economic climate and wonder what the point is, reasoning that hard work will not result in a job that does not exist.

However, we must persevere.  The Bible instructs us of the necessity of fully employing our talents and applying them rigorously and honorably in service of God.  There are more reasons to work hard than hopes of a fruitful career: we may inspire others, show them we serve a higher purpose than self-interest, prepare ourselves to do God’s work, and generally operate to God’s pleasure.  That said, here is a sampling of motivational Bible verses that remind us of the foregoing.  (Yes, some are plucked out of context, but they are nevertheless meaningful as applied here.)  If any of you guys are feeling burned our unmotivated, let me know – I’d be glad to talk to you about what’s going on in your life and offer you encouragement.

-Brent

“Above all else, guard your heart, / for everything you do flows from it.”  Proverbs 4:23 (NIV).  (Don’t let yourself despair or be seduced by laziness.)

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”  1 Corinthians 15:38 (ESV).

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13 (ESV).

“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”  Proverbs 14:23 (ESV).

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”  James 1:22-25 (ESV).

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”  Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV).

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit / as surely as haste leads to poverty.”  Proverbs 21:5 (NIV).

“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”  Galatians 6:4 (New Living Translation).

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