doctor's life support

26th July: Pause for Thought

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

This is no new principle to a follower of the Lord Jesus. Tiredness can, however, weaken the strongest will. My experience of being jolted awake by the jarring sound of a bleep, after perhaps just having fallen asleep, is by no means unique. Maybe my reaction, on finding that I had to go down to casualty to attend to what I may have regarded as an unnecessary or irritating call, is also echoed in your experience. However 'hard done by' I felt, I did also realise as I thought about the matter that these were the most testing times for me as a Christian.

My tiredness inclined me to feel angry and resentful. But there was a part of me, a small but strident voice against the inner screams of indignation, that asserted and desired deeply the Spirit-given qualities of kindness, patience and self-control.

It does make a difference to reflect on whom you serve, so that you may 'work at it with all your heart'. It wasn't infrequently that I had reason to be thankful that it took me five minutes to walk from my room to casualty.

Father, forgive me that I often forget whom I serve,
and that my behaviour doesn't always match up to what I profess.
Write these words of yours on my heart
that I may remember them in times of tiredness,
and characterise my life by the fruit of your spirit.

Further reading: Col 3:22-24. Eph 6:5-8. Gal 5:22-25. Jas 3:17-18.

JSdeC