Imagine being put on a mysterious island that you’ve been told has many ancient ruins and hidden treasure. The island was once inhabited by pirates who hid their stolen bounty amidst the ruins of a complex civilization that built structures which seemed to defy the laws of gravity.

You want to find the hidden treasure and understand the secrets of this ancient civilization. To enable yourself to do so, you have to study and learn the ancient language so you can understand the clues on a map found in one of the caves. It’s a difficult language, but you know it will be worth your while to learn it, because then the real fun will begin. You’ll be able to follow the instructions on the coded map and make the discovery of your life! You’ll also be able to read about how this civilization built those amazing structures—the science, astronomy, and calculus they used to build them—as well as uncover other intriguing facts about the history of the island, the people who lived there, the social culture, and so much more.

It’s one big mystery surrounded by so many little secrets that need to be uncovered one step at a time. But you won’t be able to discover the treasure, or benefit from the riches to be gained, unless you sit down and invest time in studying that ancient language—which is the key to finding out so much more.

The other option, of course, is to watch the waves and enjoy the tropical weather and the beach. It might be fun to do that for a while, but you would soon become bored and wish for something that would challenge your mind.

Life on earth is much like this. There are many treasures hidden in the world of your life—your “island”—both physical and spiritual. Applying yourself to your studies will help you find these treasures and fully benefit from the wonderful gifts that God has placed in the world.

When you put forth the effort and time to study your academic subjects and expand your base of knowledge, this enables you to discover so much more than what you can see on the surface—you’re able to dig deep, and though that is challenging, it has potential to be extremely satisfying.

The amount of treasure you are able to find, whether in your practical education or spiritual knowledge, will be in proportion to the amount of effort you put into it. Not only that, but as you learn new things, you grow in your capacity for Jesus to use you, and in your capacity to be a blessing to others.

Look at your studies as a treasure hunt that will help you enjoy your life and this earth that much more!