8 Encouraging Prayers for Students During Exams

Lord, I’m here today with open hands and an open heart, ready to depend on you to help me through the day and all it will bring my way. Help me be like Nehemiah, help me come to you for guidance, strength, provision and protection. As I face tough choices and hard situations, help me remember my belovedness, help me remember that I am Your child and Your representative to the world around me. Help me live today in a way that brings honor to Your holy name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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This content was adapted from "5 Prayers for Guidance - Receive God's Direction and Wisdom!" and was written by Charles Stanley.

Jesus,

This is a stressful season, and I'm overwhelmed by the mountain of work ahead of me, yet I trust in you. I know that when I put my faith in you, even when it's as small as a mustard seed (Luke 17:6), miracles can be accomplished. I pray that as I study in these coming weeks, as I soak up knowledge and memorize facts, as I read and process and write, that you would be renewing my mind and strengthening my spirit. Help me to persevere through the massive to-do lists and the busy schedules, and help me to keep my eyes fixed on you throughout it all.

As I enter my classrooms and exam rooms, I pray you would blanket me in your peace. Ease any anxieties, calm my restless mind, and give me focus on the task at hand. I pray that I would know my worth is in you alone, not in any grade I do or do not make, not in any assignment or test or teacher's opinion. I pray that I would fear your presence during my exams, and that I would be comforted by your nearness.

Thank you for the gift of this education, Jesus. I pray that these final exams would be a celebration of all I have learned in this season, and that I would be grateful for all that I have experienced and for all the ways I have grown.

May you be glorified, Lord.

Amen.

Lord, I pray that you would go before me and stand behind me in these coming weeks. I pray that I would be strengthened by your presence, and that I would know you are with me always. Thank you for always being near to me, for showering your blessings upon me when I am undeserving, for providing for me in little and big ways that remind me of your constant faithfulness. You have made a way for me to get this far, and I'm so grateful, Jesus.

Would you give me wisdom and discernment in this season? Would you help me to prioritize my tasks and assignments intentionally, and focus wholeheartedly on what needs to be accomplished? I pray that I would be committed to my schoolwork, that I would care deeply about the work on my plate, and that I would keep my attention on what's important right now. Keep me faithful, Lord. Strengthen me when I begin to feel weary. Renew my spirits when I start to falter. Surround me with encouraging friends and wise mentors.

Help me to finish strong, Lord. May I do all of this for the glory of your name alone.

In your name I pray, amen.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle

Good morning, Lord! Today's a new day, a chance for a new start. Yesterday is gone and with it any regrets, mistakes, or failures I may have experienced. It's a good day to be glad and give thanks, and I do, Lord. Thank you for today, a new opportunity to love, give, and be all that you want me to be.

Today I want to start the day with you on my mind and in my heart. As I dress, let me wear the armor you've provided daily: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, and the sword of the spirit—with prayer on my tongue: praise for you and petitions for those around me and those I meet.

Feed me today with your daily bread. As the Bread of Life, your food, like manna, will sustain me throughout any trials and hungers. Help me to set my thoughts on things above and to speak only what will help and encourage others. Keep me from putting my foot in my mouth, and help me guard the affections of my heart today, Lord. Make whatever work I do be marked with excellence rather than perfectionism, as I seek not to make a name, but to make a difference. Help me to treat each person I encounter as you would, with respect and love, forgiving others and asking for forgiveness myself when needed.

As I start this day, help me remember that I belong to you, and my desire is to act accordingly. Keep my feet from stumbling and my mind from wandering into distractions that could steal precious time and energy from the most important things you have designed for me. I'm proud to be your child, Lord. And I'm so grateful that you died for me—rising again on your own new morning—so that every day could be filled with the wonder of your love, the freedom of your Spirit, and the joy of knowing you.

I know earthly life is short and fleeting, Lord. But I want to live today as if it were the first or the last day of my life, giving thanks for every good and perfect gift you choose to give. Today, and every day, I want to live my life for you, Jesus. In your precious name, Amen.

This content was adapted from "5 Prayers for Guidance - Receive God's Direction and Wisdom!" and was written by Rebecca Barlow Jordan.

Lord, I thank You that You are the God of the impossible. You can do anything. I want to trust in Your ability and not my own. Teach me to see difficulties in my life from Your perspective. Help me to focus on You and Your power. I want to be like Joshua and Caleb who believed in a good report and focused on You even in hard circumstances (Numbers 14:7-9). My responsibility is to carefully read, trust, and obey Your Word. Today I bring before You this difficulty in my life [such as these upcoming exams, or this challenging semester, or a difficult class, etc]. Help me not to fear but to trust You in this situation. I declare my faith in Your ability to fulfill Your promises to me. You will fight for me and win the battles in my life. You are mighty, powerful, righteous and true. 

In Jesus name, amen.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Debby Hudson

This content was adapted from Debbie Przybylski's article "A Prayer for Trusting God in Hard Times."

I have nothing to fear with You on my side. I will be strong and courageous even in hard times. I will not be terrified or discouraged, for the Lord my God will be with me wherever I go (Joshua 1:9). You will never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:5). I do not need to figure everything out. You already know the best plan for my life. I will not try any man-made method to do only what You can do. Show me Your supernatural power. Teach me how to walk by faith and pray breakthrough prayers. I choose to have faith in Your ability to break through every obstacle in my life. Just like Joshua, You will give me the land and every place where my feet step (Joshua 1:3). “Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever” (Psalm 44:5-8).

This content was adapted from Debbie Przybylski's article "A Prayer for Trusting God in Hard Times."

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:5-11). 

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. -Deuteronomy 31:6

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -Galataisn 6:9

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. -Isaiah 40:29-31

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6

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