24 June, 2016

Getting Through Exams




To my friend AHA – this post is for you. Trust Him. :)

Over the past nine years I’ve done thirteen music exams – mostly practical violin, some music theory, and one practical piano. Actually, that’s not true. We’ve done thirteen music exams. The only way I’ve gotten through that many exams, and the performances in between, is by God’s strength and grace, with the support of my family and music teacher. But there’s a little recipe that’s worked for every exam, test, and performance I’ve had, and I wanted to share it, because we all go through tests at some stage in life.

1. Practice/prepare. This is elementary, but we can’t expect God to perform miracles if we don’t do our part with the talents and skills He’s given us. I can’t never practice, and then expect to pass a violin exam. 

2. Pray. Remember God is there waiting to help. Pray for help in preparing for the exam; pray for God to teach you – He knows everything, right? Pray for calmness and confidence during the exam, and in remembering what you’ve learnt. Pray for God to be right there with you instructing you what to do/say/play/sing/write/draw –whatever it is you’re being tested on. He promises: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21) 

3. Find and claim promises. The Bible is full of promises, and you’re probably familiar with quite a few relevant to exams – promises of guidance, of God fulfilling needs and being with us. By all means, claim those, but I’d encourage you to search deeper as well. There’s a lot of specific promises, and it’s fun to look for them, and see how God cares for us on a personal need-specific level. Here’s a few of my favourites – I relate them to playing violin or piano, but they could also be relevant to playing another instrument, driving, writing, or any test that involves your hands:

For I the Lord God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not: I will help thee. (Isaiah 41:13)
Blessed be the Lord God my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. (Psalm 144:1)

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. (2 Chronicles 29:11)

…Fear not, but let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8:13)

…Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. (Nehemiah 6:9)

See how specific they are? I really like Psalm 144:1 – it’s such a picture of what God can do, and while I’m not fighting with my instruments (at least, I try not to, ha), it does take energy, time, and technique to play them. I haven’t looked for other promises to claim for different tests, but I’m sure they’d be there. Pray, look for a promise that fits your situation and that you can make your own, then take God at His word. He’ll do what He says; He cannot fail.

Everyone deals with tests, exams, and stressful situations differently, but this is what has gotten me through – doing my part, praying and trusting in God, claiming His promises, and resting in knowing that He’s right there beside me – Prepare, Pray, Promise. So, I hope this will help someone, because I know that exams can be hard, and stress and nerves are real. But, just always remember: God is bigger.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

How do you deal with exams, tests, and stressful situations? What’s your favourite promise from the Bible? 


18 comments:

  1. That is all so true. Being homeschooled I don't get 'exams' as such very much but it applies to so many different things! (Plus, I love the picture :D)

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    1. Yes, I never had any exams for school either (yay for homeschooling!). But you're right, it applies to most aspects of life.

      Thank you - although it looks like I should've cleaned my violin a little better. :P Thanks for your comment, Jane. :)

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  2. This applies to so much more than 'exams' especially the prayer part.

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    1. That's true! God wants us to come to Him in every situation...

      Thanks for reading and commenting, Clare! :)

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  3. This is very true. I've been playing the violin for a while now, and I can't say how TRUE this is! I recently picked up the piano (okay no I didn't PICK IT UP literally) and it's definitely a journey :) And your tips are very helpful, not just to exams, but honestly, for all of life. Because when God is the center of my life, everything falls into place too <3

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    1. Hey fellow violinist! :D I've only been learning piano for the last year, so I know what you mean - it is a journey. Which instrument do you prefer?

      Because when God is the center of my life, everything falls into place too. Amen! That's so true - and I need to think of it more often.

      Thanks heaps for commenting, and I'm glad this was helpful to you. Praise God. :)

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  4. How very true! Being homeschooled, I probably don't have as many "exams" as some people do, but there are still a few that make me nervous, plus music recitals, etc. So your post is greatly appreciated! =)

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    1. Homeschooling has benefits, doesn't it. ;) But yes, music recitals are still nerve-wracking! Praise God this post could be a blessing - thanks so much for reading and commenting! :)

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  5. In public school (as my parents are too busy to let my brother and I homeschool), we get our major exams every four months with the addition of having statewide tests and stuff such as the SAT and ACT, so the stress is unbelieveable! I should probably look inside my Bible more-- I wasn't aware of His promises within the Bible, and it makes me want to go Bible-savvy (if that makes any sense) to just learn more.

    xoxo Morning

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    1. That must be tiring having all those exams, and the related stress. I'm feeling for you!

      Yes, it surprised me to find such specific promises in the Bible. I'll join you with being Bible-savvy! It's an incredible Book, and I feel like I've barely begun to look into it, so I know what you mean.

      Thanks a lot for your comment, Morning. xx

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  6. Three great tips! Getting through exams is difficult, but it's worth it in the end. :)

    Grace
    golden halcyon

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    1. Thanks - praise God, Grace. They are worth it, in hindsight. :) Thanks for visiting, and blessing me with a comment!

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  7. These are some really great pieces of advice! I always freak out during exams because I get stressed very easily, even though I know that I should just let God handle it. I hope I can get into that frame of mind one day :/ But until then, thanks for the advice!

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    1. Praise God! I hope you find them helpful - I know, it's so easy to take things into our hands, and then get stressed out about it.

      Thanks for your comment, Victoria. Have a wonderful day!

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  8. Such a wondeful post Jessica. I just used some of these bible verses to encourage my friend. Thanks so much for sharing. God bless you :)

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    1. Really?! I hope they're a blessing and encouragement to your friend. :)

      Thank you for reading and commenting - God bless you too. :)

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  9. Exams can certainly be stressful and nerve-wracking. When I was in grad school, we used to all joke about the 5 pounds we would lose during finals do to stress and how it affected our appetites. I do not miss that so much, but I will say that it was the best time of my life :)

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    1. Yes indeed - and it does affect your appetite. But it sounds like I should enjoy it while it lasts. :) Thanks for following and commenting!

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