No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
“I understand. I’ve struggled with some of those same challenges.”
It’s a response I’ve often given when a student tells me they have ADHD, especially when we’re talking about missing assignments, difficulty staying organized, or disappointing grades.
Sometimes I use a simple picture to help us think about those challenges:
First, I ask, holding my hand about three feet above the ground, “How high is a roadblock?”
After they answer, I ask, “And how high is a hurdle?”
Again, I hold my hand about three feet above the ground.
“The difference,” I explain, “is not necessarily how difficult the obstacle is. It’s how we approach it and what we do when we encounter it.”
Over the years, I’ve found strategies that help me manage my own tendency to become distracted—checklists, Post-it notes, calendars, and other reminders. I didn’t receive an official diagnosis until much later in life, but I gradually discovered tools that helped me work with the way my brain is wired.
That doesn’t mean every student will face the same challenges or benefit from the same strategies. Each person is different. As educators, our role isn’t to minimize those challenges or expect every student to overcome them in the same way. Instead, we can help students recognize their strengths, discover strategies that work for them, ask for help when they need it, and keep moving forward when the path gets difficult.
Life will bring obstacles. Some will feel more like roadblocks than hurdles. But our students don’t have to face them alone—and neither do we.
Romans 8:37 reminds us that our confidence doesn’t ultimately come from our own ability to overcome every obstacle. We are “more than conquerors” through Him who loved us.
Lord, help us to teach our students to overcome obstacles and not be discouraged. And while we’re at it, help us remember to do the same with our own challenges. We know that You didn’t promise we wouldn’t have problems, but You did promise to always be with us. Thank You for Your loving support. Amen.
Copyright Philip Bruce.
Philip Bruce loves writing and reading and teaches eighth graders also to love reading in Kentucky.
One Response
“The difference,” I explain, “is not necessarily how difficult the obstacle is. It’s how we approach it and what we do when we encounter it.” This is so good! Thank you for the encouragement!!