How have you been? I just returned from Baltimore on Saturday morning and I think the jet lag is still affecting me a little. Took some time on Saturday and Sunday to rest so that I can prepare my heart well for the coming week. It's been too much things going on in my head for the past 2 weeks. From church camp to Baltimore, talking to various people at the conference, some meet ups here and there and nice encounters on the plane... if I keep going like this, my mind will keep going on and on and I will not be able to pause and reflect on What Really Are Going On. Thankfully, I managed to have some quiet time to reconcile my thoughts before my Lord before I move on, again..
Wonder how do you feel when you have to keep up with the weekly routine of working and family living. Having to wake up in the morning on every Monday and lamenting about how tough working life is, and struggling to have some balanced time for pleasant and leisure activities, and family, and most irritating of all, not having all of them nicely tucked in the 24 hours schedule - Such a chore! I happened to set on a journey to find answers for my daily routine some time back because I was quite appalled by the fact that I'm so gonna be a pharmacist for my entire life! I am only 26 this year and lets say retirement sets in at 55 years old, i have a good old 30 years with my pharmacy career!!! Have you ever had the similar shocking realization too?
I used to have a good friend working as an intern (aka pre-reg pharmacist) in my hospital. He asked me how can I tolerate working such extended hours and having so little time to myself. Work-Life is not balanced as a pharmacist. Odd hours, Odd shifts, On-calls, and Ridiculous things to handle from both patients and people above. And pathetic pay! What seems more real is that, everything he claims seem to be so true to many extent.
But then again, because of this good friend, I realized that there're many more people out there having the same doubts too. If you're a pharmacist, have you always wanted to be one?
I've never thought of being a pharmacist but through turns of events and circumstances I became a pharmacy student in NUS. Always wanted to be a doctor but I did not get into the faculty of medicine. I was quite upset back then. I prayed about it before the enrollment started, and God listened. He let me entered the series of interviews and tests for medicine and in the end He closed the door. Pharmacy was the only door I left with then, if i were to continue my scholarship. And the reason why pharmacy was the only option left was that somehow God made me bold enough to put only 3 choices down for my university application instead of filling up all 5 slots. Pharmacy was the last option in the list. I was that firm about going into healthcare! Amazingly, the moment I accepted that this was the best path for me God started to do many more amazing works in my life.
Firstly, He gradually made me love pharmacy and the things thought in pharmacy. Secondly, He allowed me to have many blessed encounters and I made good friendship throughout my student life in pharmacy. Thirdly, He opened my eyes to the things I can do in healthcare even though I am not going to be a doctor, even though I am not going to have direct healing touch on patients - He showed me healing comes from the Lord. He is the Healer. And through me He will let the healing knowledge of drugs to flow through to the others. If I were to become a doctor, I could be very proud and think highly of myself because I think I can heal others. Seems like God knows me very well and He gave me what is most suitable for me...
Unknowingly, He made me love being a drug specialist more and more. And most awesome of all, He gave me the heart to want to reflect on my steps. If I have not reflected on all these little steps, I would never discover I was so greatly blessed through it all. Through the 4 years of pharmacy education, God proved to me one thing - If I am willing to let God take charge of my life and seek His perfect will in my studies, relationships and life in general, He will never hide Himself from me too - and He will lead me all the way and in all ways, and I won't feel a tinge of regrets and resentment towards the choices that I've been led to make. Though many things happened through the 4 years, I could only give thanks now for He was there with me through it all.
So this is how I ended up in this hospital too.
Honestly, I don't think life and work are 2 separate things. They are both intertwined, and integrated as one. Just like a person cannot have 2 personalities - because it will then be too tiring to uphold each of them at different fields. Same goes to the work-life balance theory.
One day, I realized that it's not me who had chosen to be a pharmacist but God who had chosen me to be a pharmacist because there're many blessings He would like to give me through my career as a pharmacist and those blessings are tailored to me. One day, I started to feel less tired because I realized that it's not me working but God is working through me. One day, I realized that it's not me who is liable for the treatment errors that happened or should be highly credited for good recommendations I made at work but it's my Heavenly Father who guided me in all the decision makings. I realized that even though I've made a mistake, it's not because I am lousy or horrible. It's because God has allowed it so that I know what is humility. I needed to make that particular mistake at that particular circumstance - so that my heart will be painful and I will return to Lord and not lean upon my own understanding and wisdom, so that people know that I have made the mistake too and that if they happen to commit the same mistake, they will be comforted. And often, even if I've made some good recommendations, I realized that it's not me who made it but it's Him who gave me the wisdom, otherwise I will not be able to think of that at that particular moment. And that in future when my colleagues require help and advice I can shed some help too. One day, even if I resist to believe it, there is this inner assurance that I can be a blessing to others because I'm child of God and most dignified in His eyes.
One day, I also discovered that there're many out there who struggle so hard at their workplace and become so weary and burdensome, because they feel that they're accountable for everything and want to do everything well. However, the truth is, there's a master in our life and He is the one who is shouldering all the burdens for us, all we need is to restore His sovereignty in our lives and the peace that we should and rightfully have, in Christ.
Sometimes, I also think that Satan is really very bad. He often uses the things at work, the busy schedule at work etc to rob away my peace. If I'm careless in guarding my heart, I might get irritated, panic and helpless easily. Come and think of it, I spend most time at work - almost 10-12 hours a day in the hospital and indeed, hospital is one of the most major fields in my life. No wonder the thief keeps invading into my heart to steal away my peace in Christ because there's just too much time he can utilize to affect me mentally, physically and emotionally.
Satan always deceives us. He always makes our hearts feel accused for something that do not turn out well - and blame it on our follies and stupidity. Satan always makes us sees how inadequate we are before the many clinical situations in front of us and blind us from the fact that we are already greatly favored by Lord. Only if we have chosen to quiet down before the storm, we will realize He is still there and His guiding hands have never left us..
Church is not the only place where God exists and can be felt.
What is more real than anything in this world is that - whether we feel it or not, God is at wherever we are, and He is always there wanting to show us the way, only if we are willing to listen, and follow His calling. The places He puts us in are precisely the places where blessings are bountiful, and there are also the places where we can be sources of blessings towards others. And I really believe that God has a purpose when He places us in a workplace. He wants us to be happy and enjoy the blessings He has prepared for us. Regardless of the states we are in, He still loves us and He's sovereign in all situations we are dealing. But we often forget because the problems we are dealing are more real than our unseen God, who has already overcome the world! Aren't we gullible?
I think we need an altar at work, really! and I am glad that God answered the prayer. Today is the 2nd time few of us gathering together on a Monday morning to think about God's words, to worship together, and to re-affirm one another of God's love for us and His ever-strong faithful hands in our lives and our workplace. Although it isn't easy for us to come together, but I know that God's already pleased with us for our hearts see the need to restore God's presence at work. Somehow, my heart is truly joyful, because I think this is exactly what everyone of us need - a reminder of God's presence despite the busy schedule and hectic tasks, and to restore the right perspective at work. It is not possible to rely on one's own enthusiasm and ferventness to serve in a workforce for 30 years and be truly joyful in it unless he sees the purpose and enjoys the many blessings given by Lord. I believe that God wants each of us to build our crowns in heaven even at work, and we are the light and salt of our workplace however our faith are.
I pray that God fulfills more than what have already been accomplished. And I pray that as we hold onto the prayer meeting tighter, our faith also grow together, our friends will be able to see God's love at work too and they too can experience the blessings God wants to give them. But in order to do so, we must first restore the love and truth in our hearts.
Sharing with you a song that I once remotely heard of, but revisited today in our prayer meeting:
Wonder how do you feel when you have to keep up with the weekly routine of working and family living. Having to wake up in the morning on every Monday and lamenting about how tough working life is, and struggling to have some balanced time for pleasant and leisure activities, and family, and most irritating of all, not having all of them nicely tucked in the 24 hours schedule - Such a chore! I happened to set on a journey to find answers for my daily routine some time back because I was quite appalled by the fact that I'm so gonna be a pharmacist for my entire life! I am only 26 this year and lets say retirement sets in at 55 years old, i have a good old 30 years with my pharmacy career!!! Have you ever had the similar shocking realization too?
I used to have a good friend working as an intern (aka pre-reg pharmacist) in my hospital. He asked me how can I tolerate working such extended hours and having so little time to myself. Work-Life is not balanced as a pharmacist. Odd hours, Odd shifts, On-calls, and Ridiculous things to handle from both patients and people above. And pathetic pay! What seems more real is that, everything he claims seem to be so true to many extent.
But then again, because of this good friend, I realized that there're many more people out there having the same doubts too. If you're a pharmacist, have you always wanted to be one?
I've never thought of being a pharmacist but through turns of events and circumstances I became a pharmacy student in NUS. Always wanted to be a doctor but I did not get into the faculty of medicine. I was quite upset back then. I prayed about it before the enrollment started, and God listened. He let me entered the series of interviews and tests for medicine and in the end He closed the door. Pharmacy was the only door I left with then, if i were to continue my scholarship. And the reason why pharmacy was the only option left was that somehow God made me bold enough to put only 3 choices down for my university application instead of filling up all 5 slots. Pharmacy was the last option in the list. I was that firm about going into healthcare! Amazingly, the moment I accepted that this was the best path for me God started to do many more amazing works in my life.
Firstly, He gradually made me love pharmacy and the things thought in pharmacy. Secondly, He allowed me to have many blessed encounters and I made good friendship throughout my student life in pharmacy. Thirdly, He opened my eyes to the things I can do in healthcare even though I am not going to be a doctor, even though I am not going to have direct healing touch on patients - He showed me healing comes from the Lord. He is the Healer. And through me He will let the healing knowledge of drugs to flow through to the others. If I were to become a doctor, I could be very proud and think highly of myself because I think I can heal others. Seems like God knows me very well and He gave me what is most suitable for me...
Unknowingly, He made me love being a drug specialist more and more. And most awesome of all, He gave me the heart to want to reflect on my steps. If I have not reflected on all these little steps, I would never discover I was so greatly blessed through it all. Through the 4 years of pharmacy education, God proved to me one thing - If I am willing to let God take charge of my life and seek His perfect will in my studies, relationships and life in general, He will never hide Himself from me too - and He will lead me all the way and in all ways, and I won't feel a tinge of regrets and resentment towards the choices that I've been led to make. Though many things happened through the 4 years, I could only give thanks now for He was there with me through it all.
So this is how I ended up in this hospital too.
Honestly, I don't think life and work are 2 separate things. They are both intertwined, and integrated as one. Just like a person cannot have 2 personalities - because it will then be too tiring to uphold each of them at different fields. Same goes to the work-life balance theory.
One day, I realized that it's not me who had chosen to be a pharmacist but God who had chosen me to be a pharmacist because there're many blessings He would like to give me through my career as a pharmacist and those blessings are tailored to me. One day, I started to feel less tired because I realized that it's not me working but God is working through me. One day, I realized that it's not me who is liable for the treatment errors that happened or should be highly credited for good recommendations I made at work but it's my Heavenly Father who guided me in all the decision makings. I realized that even though I've made a mistake, it's not because I am lousy or horrible. It's because God has allowed it so that I know what is humility. I needed to make that particular mistake at that particular circumstance - so that my heart will be painful and I will return to Lord and not lean upon my own understanding and wisdom, so that people know that I have made the mistake too and that if they happen to commit the same mistake, they will be comforted. And often, even if I've made some good recommendations, I realized that it's not me who made it but it's Him who gave me the wisdom, otherwise I will not be able to think of that at that particular moment. And that in future when my colleagues require help and advice I can shed some help too. One day, even if I resist to believe it, there is this inner assurance that I can be a blessing to others because I'm child of God and most dignified in His eyes.
One day, I also discovered that there're many out there who struggle so hard at their workplace and become so weary and burdensome, because they feel that they're accountable for everything and want to do everything well. However, the truth is, there's a master in our life and He is the one who is shouldering all the burdens for us, all we need is to restore His sovereignty in our lives and the peace that we should and rightfully have, in Christ.
Sometimes, I also think that Satan is really very bad. He often uses the things at work, the busy schedule at work etc to rob away my peace. If I'm careless in guarding my heart, I might get irritated, panic and helpless easily. Come and think of it, I spend most time at work - almost 10-12 hours a day in the hospital and indeed, hospital is one of the most major fields in my life. No wonder the thief keeps invading into my heart to steal away my peace in Christ because there's just too much time he can utilize to affect me mentally, physically and emotionally.
Satan always deceives us. He always makes our hearts feel accused for something that do not turn out well - and blame it on our follies and stupidity. Satan always makes us sees how inadequate we are before the many clinical situations in front of us and blind us from the fact that we are already greatly favored by Lord. Only if we have chosen to quiet down before the storm, we will realize He is still there and His guiding hands have never left us..
Church is not the only place where God exists and can be felt.
What is more real than anything in this world is that - whether we feel it or not, God is at wherever we are, and He is always there wanting to show us the way, only if we are willing to listen, and follow His calling. The places He puts us in are precisely the places where blessings are bountiful, and there are also the places where we can be sources of blessings towards others. And I really believe that God has a purpose when He places us in a workplace. He wants us to be happy and enjoy the blessings He has prepared for us. Regardless of the states we are in, He still loves us and He's sovereign in all situations we are dealing. But we often forget because the problems we are dealing are more real than our unseen God, who has already overcome the world! Aren't we gullible?
I think we need an altar at work, really! and I am glad that God answered the prayer. Today is the 2nd time few of us gathering together on a Monday morning to think about God's words, to worship together, and to re-affirm one another of God's love for us and His ever-strong faithful hands in our lives and our workplace. Although it isn't easy for us to come together, but I know that God's already pleased with us for our hearts see the need to restore God's presence at work. Somehow, my heart is truly joyful, because I think this is exactly what everyone of us need - a reminder of God's presence despite the busy schedule and hectic tasks, and to restore the right perspective at work. It is not possible to rely on one's own enthusiasm and ferventness to serve in a workforce for 30 years and be truly joyful in it unless he sees the purpose and enjoys the many blessings given by Lord. I believe that God wants each of us to build our crowns in heaven even at work, and we are the light and salt of our workplace however our faith are.
I pray that God fulfills more than what have already been accomplished. And I pray that as we hold onto the prayer meeting tighter, our faith also grow together, our friends will be able to see God's love at work too and they too can experience the blessings God wants to give them. But in order to do so, we must first restore the love and truth in our hearts.
Sharing with you a song that I once remotely heard of, but revisited today in our prayer meeting:
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
