Chizi is from Coventry and is currently studying English and Media at Swansea University. She loves fashion, writing blogs and has a heart for mission. She lets us in on what she finds hard at uni and what has helped her along the way. Take a look!
Leaving home and becoming a student can be very daunting, we may have many fears about starting university. Whether that is making new friends, settling into your course or finding a good church. All of these things can scare us.
Being a student is not easy. Being a Christian student can be even harder. There are many temptations thrown our way on a daily basis, we can sometimes feel that we are subjected to conform to the ‘drinking’ culture of university.
However we are called by Christ to stand out and live missionaly for Him.
For me this is one of things that I find most difficult about university, it is so easy to just ‘fit in’ but Jesus demands that our lives reflect His grace and purity. We are called to be different, live different lives from those around us.
One of the ways in which we can do this is to be wise in our understanding and knowledge of God. The Bible says ‘Get wisdom; develop good judgement. Don't forget my words or turn away from them.’ Proverbs 4:5
The Bible is full of great ways to live missionally for Jesus, it is packed with ways of how we can live pure and holy lives. If we have God’s wisdom in our minds we can be sure to do the right thing according to his word. We have an assurance which can give us a peace which surpasses all understanding. We can turn to the Bible to get wisdom when we are in difficulty. Whether it is an issue with our flatmate, whether we are missing home or whether we find ourselves in a spiritual rut! The Bible can teach us the right way to deal with that situation.
One of my flat mates came to me very upset one evening. She had heard some distressing news about one of her family members and was questioning why this had happened to her. It was so helpful that I was able to turn to the Bible and find answers which reassured her of God’s plan for her life and that we do not have control over it. I shared Psalm 46:1-3 with her which talks about how God is our refuge and strength and how we should rely on Him in our troubles. The following Sunday she came to church with me which was amazing!
‘The fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.’ Proverbs 1:7
As a fresher, I am still learning every day, but can I encourage us... let's not be foolish when it comes to how we live our lives at university. Let’s do this together and with God’s help, be bold and wise in how we live. Let’s use the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us in our path and let’s really invest our time into knowing who God is.
Walk with Him in your difficulty and walk with him in your fears and He will guide and comfort you.
Chizi, Fresher at Swansea University
