Suffering

Earlier this week, Rocklen returned from his mission trip to Tanzania. He brought back with him more than just pictures, but also images of hope and faith paralleled to incredible suffering.

 

Suffering is evidenced everywhere as a direct result of living in a fallen world. We don't even have to look on a global scale to see this truth displayed. Most of us have experienced hurt in our own personal life's. When we are broken down, we often cry out in anguish: "Is God punishing me? Has He abandoned me?"

Likewise, when the disciples were faced with suffering their minds were quick to jump to God's judgment. The Gospel of John recounts for us the story of their encounter with a blind man. Their only concern was if he or his parents had sinned to cause his affliction. They don't show him compassion. They don't even ask Jesus to heal him.

Imagine this man- lacking sight since birth and living the life of the outcast. Imagine having everyone around you assume you were unrepentant before God. Who would show him love with that mindset of justice being served? It's easy to excuse our lack of caring for those who are hurting when we equate it as something that was due.

Jesus responds, "It was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."- John 9:3

Jesus outrightly rebukes these assumptions. He stoops down, spits in the very dust from which He created us, and wipes the sludge across the man's eyes to restore his sight.

What a perfect vision of the lavish grace God spreads on us.

As Christians, we are called to be God's disciples and bring the healing message of the Gospel to those who are hurting.

God has not promised to keep us from pain and suffering, but to keep (care, hold on to) us in our pain and suffering.

We have a Savior who knows what we are experiencing.

There is nothing so terrible, that He can not relate.

Because Christ's entire life, was a life of suffering.

"What do you understand by the word 'suffered'?

 

That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sin of the whole human race.

This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, he might deliver us, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, and gain for us God's grace, righteousness, and eternal life."- Heidelberg Catechism Q&A37

 

We have hope, because through Christ, we are promised salvation and an end to all suffering. Through His sacrifice, we are viewed as righteous. He was bound to the cross, that we might be loosed from our sins. He was innocently condemned to death, that we might live. He humbled himself on the cross to hell's deep agony, which rung from Him the cry, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" so that God might never forsake us.



Questioning your Calling?

Wow. I can't believe I'm done with nursing school. Two intense, fast-paced, content-packed years. 730 days. 856 hours spent at clinical. Priceless experiences. Countless tears. Valued friendships. The best and worst two years of my life. I couldn't have done it without the grace of God along with the love and support of my friends and family- especially that of my parents.

I'm ashamed to admit there were several times along this journey that I turned to them in tears. I was ready to give up because it was HARD. There were times it was straight up miserable. During these moments, doubt would creep in and cause me to question whether or not God was really calling me to be a nurse.

My dad taught me a valuable lesson in deciphering whether or not God is directing us to a different career. Because we're guaranteed to question if we are on the right path. Regardless of whether we are just choosing our major, or celebrating twenty years on the job. Regardless of whether we are 19, or 46.

Ask yourself these three main questions:

1. Has God given you another passion?
Passion is a valuable component, innumerably more so than salary or other tangible benefits a job has to offer. Without passion, you will be miserable in whatever job you pursue. You will have many doubts along your career path that will leave you wanting to throw in the towel and quit. But don't be so quick to discard your calling without feeling as though God has placed something else on your heart. Simply stopping in your path is not an option, that is just looking for a way out and errs toward laziness. You must continue on, it may just happen to be in a different direction.
"the desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor." -Proverbs 21:25.

2. Has He instilled you with the gifts to do it?
The desire to do something else is not enough, you must also possess the ability. Reflect on what areas God has gifted you in. Would you be utilizing your talents in your new career path? For He has created us to be productive. Just take a glance at the splendor of creation around us. To think God handcrafted the world in a span of six days! And what did He say after, but "it is good." As image bearers of God, shouldn't we seek to follow His perfect example and be productive, utilizing our gifts to the best of our abilities so that He may be glorified?

3. Is God opening another door?
Oftentimes when the going gets tough, we feel like God is closing a door. But He has promised to not do so without opening another. If it is His will, the opportunity will arise.

If after laying the matter before God, you can answer all three of these questions with an affirmative "yes", then I believe you can be confident that God is directing you towards a new career path. If not, keep turning to Him in prayer for the strength and perseverance to continue. Be encouraged that God has a perfect plan for you, even if it may not seem that way at the moment.

"This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow."- Isaiah 48:17