study plan

i have a 1500 word criminal law assignment due on monday, which seems short, but places high scrutiny on the quality and detail of your research and revelations.

on top of that, i've got a hefty contracts assignment due on monday as well.

oh and a public law assignment, due on thursday.

not to mention the fact that greater union has been far less willing to give me shifts of late, greatly decreasing my cash flow.

add to that competing demands for the few hours that i am awake in the day, where compromise leaves me getting to bed unfairly late many nights of the week.

that and a few other factors has led to perpetual sickness, with my chronic rhinitis symptoms particularly flaring up these past months, and my body being in pain most hours of most days.

i'm also lamenting the recent death of certain friendships where we've just drifted apart, or don't get along anymore.


In short, I am surrounded by a mighty army of problems.
It's beyond my capacity to deal with alone.


Normally I turn to God here and trust that He will make things all turn out for the best, that together we'll weather the storm. It's a standard answer that works, as He has promised in the Word.

In reading Judges this week, I realised something about God's character that I didn't yet know.

At the end of Joshua, the Israelites have just moved into the Promised Land after years of wandering and warfare, and yet on the outsides - and in amongst - this territory, many populations of Canaanites still remained, that the Israelites could not drive out.

Why didn't God just deliver those adversaries to his people as well?

Jg 3:1-2

These are the nations the LORD left to test the Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience).

In prayer God prompted me to apply that Scripture to my own situation. These problems in my life are certainly challenging, and it's true that I'm having a tough time dealing with them. But His Word says that he leaves opposing forces in my midst so as to train me in warfare. If I persevere - and it goes on to repeatedly declare that obedience is the way to do so - I know that God will increase my spiritual capacity as a result. And no problem is so great that he can't deal with it.

Obedience is key.

So when I go to sleep tonight, I'll place these concerns in His hands. He'll be up all night anyway.