-
Describe a recent time when you’ve been discouraged with a student’s progress. Have you witnessed a change in the student’s life, or are you still waiting for that change to occur?
-
I have recently been discouraged by a student not believing that God is real. The student comes from a background where she was exposed to Christian teachings as a young child. Unfortunately, this student experienced trauma in a church setting during her teen years. This experience left her angry with God and emotionally and mentally scarred. She currently identifies as an Atheist. I have kept this student in my prayers and have asked God to show her that he is real and that she would be saved. Although it hasn’t happened yet, I am believing that God will reach her and that he will change and heal her mind and heart.
-
.
-
In the past I spoke to a student whose father was not a believer and did not attend church. His mother on the other hand was very strong in her faith and would take all the children to church on Sundays and during the week. The student confessed to me that he was trying to prove that God was not real so that he could also stay home with his dad instead of going to church. But he said the more he tried proving that God wasn’t real, the more he started to believe in God. His mom had bought him a study bible which answered many of his questions. I loved hearing that story because it shows us that our children are God’s children and all the effort his mother had done in teaching him about God, were not in vain.
-
I have one student who comes from a broken family structure at home. He does not really have a father figure around and strong teaching about Christ in his home. I have had a struggle with this student from the beginning of the year. A lot of defiance issues and disobedience. I have had so many heart-to hearts with him and he would get better for a few days and then out of nowhere have a really bad couple days. I felt as if I was trying everything with him to help improve his behavior (giving him positive encouragement, having lunch one-on-one to make him feel seen, praying with him and bringing his behavior back to what the Bible says). I am still waiting for a long-term change to occur in his life but I have to just keep praying that the Lord truly changes his heart because I can try to lead him to Christ, but only HE can do the work in his heart.
-
I do remember a student who seemed disintrested in learning and was always distracted with talking and did not focus much on his work, who later turned around unexpectedly. I decided to take a different approach and began focusing on this student encouraging him to focus and telling him that he could do well if he just gave it a little effort. The extra attention and the words of encouragement did wonders for him. The quality of his work improved tremendously as well as his behavior. I had to remind myself that, even though this student seemed not to care much, was disruptive and a bit disrespectful, that God loved us first even when we were unlovely, sinful and unloving. I had to love my student even when he was all these things to me and do what Jesus would do. He came for the lost and we have to do the same. It is easy to love the good student who pays attention and does all the right things, but Christ calls us to love deeper and to do it even when it is difficult as when he says “Love your enemies as yourself.” When we practically apply God’s word in the classroom the results will be amazing!
