Do your students seem more distracted, disengaged, and undisciplined than ever before? Does teaching feel like a daily, uphill climb? Is your classroom challenging, to say the least? 

Whether facing academic or behavioral challenges, teaching in today’s classroom requires courage, perseverance, and skill to get through each day. Although it’s not always easy, as a Christian educator, you can find strength by focusing on and trusting in God’s promises, even in the midst of your difficult and overwhelming classroom. 

God promises to:

Be Present (Joshua 1:5)

You can rest assured that God knows exactly where you are right now and the struggles that you face. And He is right there with you. Trust that He will never leave you.

Provide (Philippians 4:19)

God promises to supply all of our needs according to His heavenly riches. Remember that His riches include peace, patience, productivity, and strategy. Trust that what you need can and will be provided when you invite Him to work in you and on your behalf. 

Guide (John 16:13)

As a Christian educator, you can rely on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you as you address and respond to situations that arise in your classroom. Trust His guidance as you go from challenge to challenge. 

Carry (Psalm 55:22) 

God doesn’t require you to have all of the solutions for your challenging classroom. He simply asks you to cast your cares on Him and allow Him to carry your burdens. Trust that your role is not to carry the challenge, but instead to submit the challenge to God.

Empower (1 Corinthians 12)

As a believer in Christ, God has given you spiritual gifts to empower you and bless those around you. Trust that God has given you these unique gifts to empower you as a teacher and bless the students He has placed in your classroom. 

Trusting God with your challenging classroom requires you to put aside your emotions, look past the chaos happening around you, and choose to believe His promises. This may seem impossible to do at times, but when you begin to believe, accept, and trust in Him, you and your students will be blessed.

Michele Holiday served in public schools for 16 years in a variety of roles, including teacher, behavior specialist, ESE specialist, and district behavioral program specialist. She currently works as a behavior strategist for Feed Their Needs, LLC, a professional development company she founded that provides classroom and behavior management consultations and workshops for educators.