Isaiah 48:17--
This is what the Lord says--
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
"I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go."
I don't know about you, but life in medicine--especially the training years--is somewhat of a certain, well-defined, generalized trajectory. Making a decision about where to go for undergrad--even what I'd major in--seems like child's play compared to the decisions before me today. What am I going to do after residency?!? The plan to this point has been straightforward: MCAT, Medical School, COMLEX/USMLE, Step 1, Step 2, Residency, Step 3, finish Residency, take specialty boards, go on vacation. If you're still alive and vigorous, there's this fork in the road...Fellowship, Missions, Real Doctor Job, Research, Work at Starbucks, Never Return From Vacation. Some days, the opportunities before me are overwhelming. After all, this is the rest of my life we're talking about here!
And then I read the above verse...the Lord is going to teach me what is best for me and direct me in the way I should go. There is incredible comfort in this verse! We all have Proverbs 3:5-6 memorized--"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." There's a lot that I have to do in those verses...trust, lean not, acknowledge. And I do try to do those things. But then I have to remember that I'm not here for my glory/satisfaction/self-discovery, but God's. So in the end, it has to be the Lord who instructs me in what is best and shows me where I should go, and it's up to me to be willing to follow.
As you celebrate Resurrection Sunday this weekend, I encourage you to take time to rest in the work that has been completed for you through Jesus. Christ is Risen Indeed!
