I’ll tell you something.

I’ve been working as a nurse now for 7 months. And I love it. I love meeting and taking care of people. I love figuring out what each individual’s needs are. I love the challenge of learning how to communicate across disciplines. I love the collaboration and teamwork among the staff of my unit.

2 months ago I didn’t love it. In fact, I dreaded it. Sure, it was fine when I was there. But I had such a hard time dragging myself 90 miles south of my home, friends, family, and church to go – work.

What’s changed in the last 2 months? Well, not much, looking at my circumstances. My duties and roles haven’t changed. The people have not changed. The patient’s haven’t changed.

But I have.

About 2 months or so ago, there was a situation. I was involved. And I didn’t feel that the parties involved had necessarily handled the situation appropriately. People had their feelings hurt, including me. Because no one is perfect, and sometimes we unintentionally let ourselves scrape on others without actually meaning to hurt them.

This situation happened at the beginning of my work day, and I suppose you might say it “ruined” my day. But actually, it didn’t. What it did do was bring me closer to Jesus, my Healer, my Restorer, my Friend. It was a busy day, so I didn’t get a chance to go in the bathroom or a supply closet or stairwell and pour out my heart to Jesus. I would have loved to, but I just didn’t have time. So I went about my usual duties, taking care of my corner of the unit. But something that was amazing to me was that I didn’t have to go be alone and cry and pray in order for Jesus to be near me. He knew I needed him that day, so He drew close to me. I could feel His presence all that day, comforting me and, really, healing me. I had been wounded that morning, in a small way, but Jesus saw it. And He came and anointed that wound with His healing balm. I was still hurting, but He helped me “just get through” that day.

That evening, I went home and did pour out my heart to Jesus. I ran to Him with what was still bleeding or bruised and told Him what hurt.

You see, Jesus wants us to run to Him.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Psalm 55:21

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:6

Cast: to throw, cast, hurl, fling. So literally, I threw it at Him. Or to Him. And by faith, I believed He would take it.

Then, I chose to rejoice.

Rejoice? Because I got my feelings hurt? Because I didn’t like my job? Because I felt like I shouldn’t have been talked to in a certain way?

Why, yes.

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings…”

Colossians 1:24

“Rejoice always.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16

(And my favorite…)

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:6-9

(And another favorite…)

“Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

So, I took the advice of God’s Word and chose to rejoice in my “suffering.” It may not be persecution or famine or sickness. But it was a type of suffering, and Jesus cared about it. I prayed over and over, “Lord, I choose to rejoice. I will rejoice.”

The next day was no different. In fact, it was even harder to push myself to go to work. I really wanted to call in sick, to avoid and further problems. I wrote this verse on an index card, kept it in my pocket, and repeated it to myself in the hallway, in the med room, anywhere I didn’t have to directly think about patient care, and I memorized it:

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

1 Peter 4:16-18

In that moment of suffering, I was tempted to listen to the question, “Did God really say…?” Did God really want me to be here? Why am I driving back and forth every week? Am I really cut out to be a nurse?

All those questions loomed about me, and had I chosen to listen to them, I truly believe I would be stuck in the same position: hating my job, not getting along with people, unable to let the light of Christ shine through me, because I’d be so busy looking at myself and my own comforts.

Which reminds me:

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.”

Hebrews 11:24-27

My comforts don’t matter. Defending myself didn’t matter. I didn’t need to argue with those who mistreated me. Just quietly endure, like Jesus did.

I bet you can find a Bible verse on your own that describes this situation …

Casting my cares on Jesus + Rejoicing + Looking at the things unseen (i.e. fixing my eyes on Jesus [Hebrews 12]) =Daily inner renewal. Also … major download of grace.

Actually, God did give me this job. God did send me to this place for a purpose. God did provide a way for me to go to nursing school, because I am cut out to be a nurse. God made me a nurse.

God really did say …

And God has given me the grace I need for this season of life. All the driving back and forth. All the time I’m investing into little lives outside of work.

And I love my job.

What’s changed circumstantially? Nothing. Nothing at all.

But God changed me. Made me softer. Made me more tender. And helped me to run to Him rather than resent Him in my moment of trial.

You try it.

  1. Cast your cares on Him.
  2. Choose to rejoice.
  3. Look at the eternal, not the temporal.
  4. Receive the download of grace He is just waiting to dump on you when you practice steps 1-3. 
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