Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3: 5)
I was expected to perform a study whilst on elective, but as so often happens outside the West, the pace at which things were done was less than could be hoped. The slow cogs of the bureaucratic machine had to creak into action before I could gain permission to start the data collection in the government hospitals. In fact, I had to wait until the eighth and final week before I could even take a peek at the records!
During that time, many prayers had been said by myself and by some Christians whom I had met whilst out there. God was faithful and our patience was rewarded. However, God had greater plans for me than collecting data for a small study, and I was showered with opportunities I would not otherwise have had, if I’d been sat in an office looking at records. I saw gross pathology, shared my faith, attended clinic outreach, taught English at the local university and formed close relationships with the local CMF students. I met more people and served God in ways I would not have felt possible before my elective. Looking back I know that my elective was a time of increasing my medical confidence, but more importantly it was a time of pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone and served as a crash-course in Christian witnessing and outreach.
It is not always possible to know what God’s plan is for us. He answers our prayers, but it would be wise not to limit Him. He wants what is good for you and knows the desires of your heart. However, we must be aware that often what we ask for is puny in relation to what God has in store for us and if only we let Him, His power will blow our minds.
Remember - Everything in God’s Time
Further Reading
Matthew 7: 7 - 12; Luke 12: 22 - 31; Ecclesiastes 3: 1 - 8
Elective
Life Support
