Life Out There (Balancing One’s Schedule)
by Rebecca Shwayri (May ’01)
College students face difficulties when it comes to balancing school, part-time jobs, friends, and Church. After all, it can be quite difficult to manage all the demands and commitments placed upon a student’s time. Unfortunately, some students are so determined to do well in their studies that they start to exclude all else. Education is meant to improve our lives and give us new opportunities, but if education starts to create havoc in our personal and spiritual lives, we must step back and reevaluate.
Our Lord tells us that we must work for heavenly bread. If we toil for the fruit of this world, then we work in vain: “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27). In short, we must work for the glory of God because only this form of work will endure. The Lord also tells what it means to work for Him: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29). At first glance, this does not seem too difficult. After all, we all believe in our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. A profound sense of belief and faith requires us to go one step further, however. This belief must be manifest in the works that we do.
Somehow, we must work to find a sense of balance in our lives. As students, it is important for us to do well, but we must find time to attend Church and work for God. Saying prayers daily and volunteering with our friends are simple ways for us to work for the food which does not perish.
