…reflections and invitation to Pray on World Student Da
Nothing weakens prayers like lack of understanding and nothing empowers one to pray like understanding.
Like Jeremiah I have severally gotten to points of quitting this student matter but the burden God keeps on giving me won’t let me.
To let you in on the burden, I will be using the voice of a typical Christian student share with you the burden they carry that necessitate the need for you to pray for them as a partner with God.
The next lines will be the voice of a student.
Dear Partner with Hankuri Tawus Gaya in pursuit of just one student on campus through the ministry of Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES).
Today I say thank to you for all your investment and partnership with God to ensure that I become the person that God has created me to be. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I share with you today my burden and challenges as a student and a Christian.
IDENTITY CRISIS:
This is a big problem for me and it is eating me deep. I struggle daily about who am I and what the society thinks of me? Yes I know I need to believe what God has said concerning me, yet looking at how things are, I still struggle. Pray for me to settle this identity crisis issue.
PURPOSE:
You see I don’t want to waste my life. I desire to live my life in line with God’s purpose for my life. Discovering this has been a big problem for me because of the confusing and divergent teachings I get to hear on this subject matter. Pray that God will help me discover my purpose and to live it out.
PEER PRESSURE:
Living with peer has brought great good to my life and has also made me take a number of wrong decisions that I regret. I am daily faced with the challenge of doing things that will connect me with my peer. I want to dress like them. Talk, speak and do the things they do just to feel among and be accepted by them even when I know that it is not correct and biblical. Please pray for me.
ADDICTION:
You see I am born again but I still struggle with addictions. Addictions to pornography, gambling, alcohol, sex, technology and more. I have fasted and prayed. I have taken steps yet I still struggle and this has made me ask many questions. Please pray for me to overcome addictions.
BROKEN AND DYSFUNCTIONAL HOME:
Growing up I saw my dad beat up my mum. Eventually they parted ways and I was handed over to my uncles where I was treated as less than human being. My heart was wounded. Pray for God’s healing for my heart and grace to believe in the concept of family again.
POVERTY:
You see living on campus eating just one meal per day and not even being sure of the next meal is a reality for me. Always being the last to pay school fees, depending on friends to meet basic school needs are realities I face. Yes! I am intelligent and gifted. Please pray for me to remain faithful and pure despite the pressure to use what I have to get what I need.
LACK OF ROLE MODELS AND BAD LEADERSHIP:
seeing the way leadership happens in Church and society and what I read in the Scriptures I am left more troubled. I desire a model to follow but they seem not to be available. Dad and Mum weren’t there. Some of the people I have met in Church will often want to take advantage of you. How political leaders lead in the society leaves me more disturbed. Please pray for my heart to appreciate the few one and to grow and to be a model myself.
INFORMATION OVERLOAD:
I wake up daily to myriad of messages and information both good and bad; edifying and unedifying. Going online to do my normal academic work opens me up to more. Pray that God will help me manage this and never let them leave the faith.
STRIKE ACTION:
This is my 6th year on campus for a course that ought to have finished in 4 years. Even now I am not sure of when I will graduate. My peers who went to private universities have graduated, served the nation and already working. Here I am with little resources still struggling. It can be quite painful. Please Pray for me to remain faithful to the end and for the system to experience transformation.
INSECURITY:
The last attack in my village left my mum and siblings homeless. My people spoke and the government accused them of hate speech. I am on campus now and not sure of where to go for holiday. Please pray for me and several other students affected like me.
KNOWING GOD’S WILL:
If there is one thing I desire to do, it is God’s will. But it is often not clear for me. The so many information I get sometimes that get me confused and also seeing how people who are committed to serving him suffer. Please pray that I will know God’s will and stick to it no matter what.
Yes. It is not all darkness. I have learned a lot and grown in my walk with God. I have made friends and mentors God has used to tell me I have got hope. I know of people like you who partner with ministries like NIFES to shape broken hearts like me. I appreciate you and yet appeal for more prayers.