"We continually remember your work resulting from your faith, your exertion prompted by your love, and your endurance inspired by your hope" (1 Thess. 1:3).
Seminary student:
EXERT YOURSELF!
This can and should be the best time of your life!
To study.
To master the biblical languages.
To learn church history and theology.
To internalize the principles of hermeneutics and exegesis.
Get serious about it!
You have a wonderful faculty to guide you.
You have a great library to assist you.
Your whole world is opening up to a body of literature you didn't even know existed.
This is YOUR CHANCE!
Don't minimize it.
Don't cast it aside.
Don't neglect it.
Here you will learn things you will not learn anywhere else.
Determine that you will study God's word for the purpose of DOING it.
Take the things you are learning and make them a part of your life, your thinking, your habits.
Something is wrong if you leave this school without that transformation.
You're either not taking it seriously or not applying yourself to it like you should.
Don't quit because it's hard.
Seminary is SUPPOSED to be hard.
Life is hard.
Ministry is hard.
Marriage is hard.
Parenting is hard.
You don't quit because of difficulties or disappointments.
Stick with it, and God will use your lips, your mouth, your tongue to communicate truth that people will live by.
Is there anything better than that?