Four weeks until the last day of school, and as the time most of us have been anticipating comes closer, our strength to finish seems to grow dimmer. For some, the end of the school year means their college career is over; for others, it means they have completed their first year of higher education. However, regardless of the situation, many classrooms, rooms and halls echo the same question: “How will we get there?”  

As we brainstorm an answer to this question, a list of “if only” thoughts fill many of our minds and seem powerful enough to help us skip the responsibilities standing between summer and us.  

“If only I did not have to take that test.”  

“If only I could avoid the important decisions I need to make before the semester ends.”  

“If only I did not have to write that essay.”  

However, as we dream of completely altering our realities, we often miss the moments of grace that compose our day (John 1:16). These moments of grace are not “if only” questions but blood-bought realities speaking of a faithful and sufficient Savior.  

As we wish our professor would cancel that class, we miss the grace that woke us to a new day, the merciful Savior who gifts us new learning opportunities (Lamentations 3:22-23).  

As we wish we did not have to do that assignment, we miss the grace that allows us to develop our skills, the intentional God who changes us even in the simplest assignment.  

As we wish we did not have to walk from class to class, we miss the grace that allows us to breathe, the faithful God that reminds us through the sun and the rain that His character remains the same (Hebrews 3:18). 

Therefore, it is not dreaming of a May 5 without the struggles of the next five weeks that will get us through these challenging days. It is remembering that the cross did not only buy the day of our salvation and the eternity to come but also these assignment-filled days. It is remembering that the cross changed our lives from darkness to light, weakness to strength and defeat to victory (Ephesians 2:4-6). It is remembering that the cross bought each hour from today to May 5 to be hours filled by grace.  

Sometimes grace will look like a simple word of encouragement from a friend that keeps us going; other times, it will look like the courage to finish a six-hour paper. Nevertheless, every moment lived under the shadow of Christ’s righteousness is grace undeserved that we should celebrate. So, because of Christ, from today to the day that we finish the semester and finally to the end of our race, we can celebrate Christ as the grace that woke us up from death to life the day we first believed and that allows us to keep waking up under the Son of mercy that never stops shining, even in the busiest days.