Online classes have been overwhelming not just to me, but to many students. We are bombarded by multiple requirements all at once, while also facing several challenges like intermittent internet connection and having no gadgets to use for our online classes. 

The pressure to perform well, the thought that we can’t be with our friends, and the feeling of being unproductive can paralyze us. We are drained because we can no longer distinguish school from home. 

With all these in mind, learning nowadays seems to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Restless, weary, and tired, we doubt if we can still go on. 

Are we still learning lessons or are we just complying with the requirements? 

In these moments, I ask God, “Lord, how can I go through this? How can I learn?”

And as we go through the difficulties of our current setup, I am reminded to search deep in my soul. As a result, here are three simple but liberating truths we could all reflect on: 

1. God sees and remembers every hard work.

Because we’re left to study at home by ourselves, studying has become more difficult. What’s worse, we spend all day working on our modules and requirements without anyone acknowledging our hard work.

We go through the same routine every day just to finish all of our tasks. With the mental and emotional stress piling up on us, we ask ourselves: Is this still worth it?

Dear student, let me remind you that God sees and remembers your hard work.

You keep track of all my sorrows 

You have collected all my tears in your bottle.

You have recorded each one in your book. 

Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

David was running for his life when he wrote this psalm. He was surrounded by his enemies and had no time to rest. What brought comfort and assurance to him was the truth that God sees where he was and God remembers all his distress.

With God, there is no wasted effort. He has a record of all your hardships, tears, and moments of despair. Others may not see our efforts or even take time to appreciate them, but take heart because God knows. 

And the time will come that God will reward what He has remembered. As one song says, “Not for a minute was I forsaken.” 

We are not forgotten. God sees.

2. God is holding us today and won’t let go of us tomorrow.

It’s difficult to rest these days, let alone learn, if we are already too consumed about the requirements for tomorrow. The restless mind and soul are breeding grounds for worry and anxiety. 

We’re worried about next week, next month, and next year. We worry about the next semester, the next step, or the next requirement. We worry about how long this pandemic will last. We worry and worry and worry—as if worry would actually solve anything anyway.

Dear student, let me remind you that God is in charge of your future.

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not . . . So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Matthew 6:27, 34 (NLT)

Learn to take it one day, one moment, and one module at a time. 

Live out today knowing that tomorrow is not something for you to worry about but something you should trust God for. As a classic preacher named Charles Spurgeon said, “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.”

The God who runs the universe is the same God who takes care of you.

3. God is our ultimate security.

The saying “You are secure in God” may already be a cliché to us. We always hear this, but do we truly believe it? 

Our security in God is always tested when we see that 7/40 score on our exam sheet or when we’re lagging behind compared to our classmates.

There are many things in the world that offer security such as our grades, relationships, reputation, and social status. This is not to say that these things do not matter. Rather, these things are not all that matter in life. 

We question our security when the things that we hold valuable are being tested. But things will start to change when God becomes the most valuable Person in our lives. 

Dear student, let me remind you that you are secure in God.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

The “heavy burdens” that we carry are the unnecessary pressures and unrealistic expectations brought about by our desire to please God and prove ourselves to others through human effort.

Jesus knows that this is an impossible burden to carry. That is why He invites us to rest our souls by coming to Him. When God becomes the ultimate source of our security in life, we start to see things differently. 

From being too consumed about our performance in school, we become consumed by His grace that gives us the ability to finish our tasks. 

From being too consumed about what people think, we become liberated by what God thinks about us: We are His and no one can take us away from Him.

May these simple reminders motivate you to keep learning despite our difficult situation. God is with you every moment. May you experience His grace, wisdom, and comfort as you continue adjusting to the new normal.