“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” These words were spoken through the prophet Jeremiah during a time when the Jews were in captivity and under threat of exile. Although these words do not promise immediate relief from difficulties, it is a reminder that in the midst of our darkest moments, our God promises us with a future that is filled with prosperity and hope.
Just like the Jews of the ancient times, I also have a fair share of challenges while in law school. There were days when I feel motivated to study and everything in my life seems to flow smoothly but most of the time, I would find myself lying on my bed for hours thinking about that failed recitation or that mind-wrenching examination I had and how I could have answered it better. I can also remember those moments when I would cry out of frustration because I cannot fully comprehend the provisions of the law that I have been reading for hours and for fear that I would not be qualified enough to defend and serve my future clients in a competent manner. My so-called suffering intensified when everything shifted to online classes. I remember staying and sleeping on an abandoned attic at my mom’s workplace just to attend my online classes during my third year in law school because our house was not conducive for learning. These are just a few of the many days in law school that brought me down on my knees in surrender to God’s sovereign will.
However, my story is nothing compared to what my fellow graduates had to go through. Some of them had to juggle both work and their studies while others had no time for rest because they have classes from Monday to Sunday for the whole semester. Our struggles might come in different forms, but the weight of the burden is the same for all of us. This weight may have crushed us for so many times to the point that we were tempted to give up, but I hope that in moments when we feel incompetent and unqualified, may we be reminded that our God has brought us into this world for a purpose and that is to be of service to many through the legal profession.
Although the challenge is far from being over and while there’s no immediate relief from the frustrations that we will have in the future, may we be reminded that our God has a plan for each of us. This plan includes our success in the legal profession so that we may be able to use this platform to serve those who are in need of our legal assistance and to inspire others. So let us continue to move forward despite the challenges that we went through and those that we will soon encounter knowing that not only do we have a promise-giving God, but also a promise-keeping one.