Rachel Whisman

It hit me Thursday morning as I pulled into the parking lot for work. Exhaustion is its name and I quickly questioned, “How am I going to make it through the next 48 hours until my students are released for spring break?” I was ready to stay in my car, turn around, and plop myself onto my bed. If you are not a teacher, leading up to spring break you have the month of February. Although short in days, it sure does make itself up by somehow stretching the hours to make them seem never-ending in the classroom. Students are taking a lot more tests, the fatigue of the school year settles in nicely after the high of Christmas break, some students enjoy coming out of their shells a little bit more, and the finish line to summer break seems like a mirage that is only fooling you. 

The weariness was heavy upon my body as I got out of my car and walked towards my classroom. In just a few minutes my students would be arriving and God’s grace would be more than sufficient to lift my gaze to them, welcome them with a smile, and teach them the things they needed to learn that day. Psalm 37:3 reeled in my head as I greeted the first student who arrived for the day, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” 

Trust in the Lord…

Do Good…

Dwell in the land…

Befriend faithfulness…

Questions immediately arise. Trust who? Do what? Dwell where? Befriend what? Yet, I appreciate the practicality of the Psalms. Small phrases of actions that give me direction when my brain is foggy. Although not tormented by evildoers as David was, swarmed by 23 seven-year-olds I was. Not the same situation, but fortunately the same God. The same God who has given us actions to respond to when our feet our heavy with whatever the Lord has called us to walk through. 

Therefore, we trust in who? We trust in the Lord, who is our Father, Savior, King, Friend, Helper, Deliverer, Sustainer, and Provider. This is where the Psalm starts and this is where we should start remembering and adoring first. 

Next, do what? Do good. He calls us to do something because we have placed our trust in Him to help us. We can do good because He has shown us what is good. He gave us Himself to explain how to respond, speak, serve, and love others. The good I am called to do is to serve these little kiddos unto the Lord and not to myself. To teach them how to forgive one another, correct their misunderstandings as they complete an assignment, discipline them, or listen and laugh when they share their stories. Your good, if you ar not a teacher, is different; it is whatever the Lord has placed before you that day. It might be changing a diaper, studying for a test, or taking care of a family member. 

Dwell where? Live in the place where the Lord has assigned you. Not just work, eat, sleep, repeat, but “give direct attention to”. To the teacher, your classroom for 40 hours out of the week needs to be given attention. It is a place to extend hospitality to your students and coworkers and cultivate a love of learning. As Jim Elliot said, “Wherever you are, be all there.” You might not enjoy the place you live or the circumstances that might have tied you down, but God has placed you there for a reason. Remember, we can dwell in whatever land we are in because we can trust in who God is. 

Lastly, befriend who…faithfulness? Probably the least attractive one out there in most people’s view. However, a call to endure and be steadfast. Despite the long days, fatigued body, and at some points zero motivation or passion in my job, I am to befriend faithfulness and not my emotions. I am called to teach one minute after another. I can do that because of how God has shown His faithfulness to me. He is the friend who has always been faithful even when I have not been (2 Timothy 3:13). May we be encouraged by what Paul teaches in Galatians 6:7-9.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

Trust in the Lord. Do Good. Dwell in the Land. Befriend faithfulness…it doesn’t end there but continues with, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” (Psalm 37:4-5). It gets better if you keep reading the rest of the chapter, but I’ll let you take it from here. 

Spring break is here. I got through to it and I eventually melted into a comatose state and have slowly come out of it. Not to be a pessimist, but a realist. The break will eventually be over and school will return in a week. My body will return to its normal routine and the daily pressures to get my students where they need to be before the end of the year will remain hovering over our heads. Exhaustion will eventually make a return. It is the same for us all. We are human and these are the realities we live in, yet I hope this verse is ready to be rehearsed and on our mind to always take the first small step when everything is overwhelming by trusting in the Lord….Do good…Dwell in the land…Befriend faithfulness…and continue until our hearts are warmed by the truth. He will help in His way. We must wait on Him with trust. 

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31