Struggles

A little over a week ago I ended what I can only hope was the worst rotation I will ever have in my residency. For many reasons I won't go into any details but it was horrible. Part of the way through the rotation when I realized how badly I was struggling I picked up (in addition to my Bible) my copy of "The Barbarian Way" by Erwin McManus. This is one of my all-time favorite books. Here are a couple of the quotes that really challenged and encouraged me:

When you understand what Jesus means when He says that you must follow Him, you finally realize that this is not a cattle call. He is not calling you to the same life that everyone else will live. He's not even calling you to the same path that every follower of Christ will walk. Your life is unique before God, and your path is yours and yours alone. Where God will choose to lead you and how God chooses to use your life cannot be predicted by how God has worked in the lives of others before you.

...the closer you walk with Christ, the greater the faith required. The more you trust Him, the more you'll risk on His behalf. The more you love Him, the more you will love others. If you genuinely embrace His sacrifice, you will joyfully embrace a sacrificial life.

The first quote really encouraged me as I kept comparing my life and all that I disliked about my circumstances to those around me who seemed to have it all together and were enjoying their summer more than I was. The second quote challenged me as I sensed myself wanting to lash out at people all around me for the frustrations I was experiencing. I was reminded that the way I treat others is a direct reflection on my love for God and my ability to joyfully embrace a life of sacrifice is directly correlated with my ability to embrace His sacrifice for me. Ouch...