Are You Weary?

Think About It By Kathy Schoonover-Shoffner Are You Weary?

have a confession. I’m weary. I all families of the earth will be blessed how was it that Abraham remained continue to feel called to lead through him (Genesis 12:3, 18:18, fully convinced about God? I NCF and JCN, but I’m tired. I 22:18). God keeps making promises, and find myself fighting not-so-good Abraham keeps trucking along through I hear Abraham calling through the attitudes. unbelievable hardships, year after year, pages of Scripture, telling me that I can As nurses, it’s easy to get in a funk. with no children (Genesis 12-20). keep believing. I can trust God despite Work is intense, things go wrong, At age 99, God gives Abraham the my circumstances. Abraham trusted patients and colleagues can be de- sign of his covenant: circumcision. God and had a son at 100 years old manding, students are challenging, Abraham circumcises all the men in his (Genesis 21). He looked forward in school is difficult. We rest on days off, household, starting with himself faith to the promise of salvation in his but don’t feel rejuvenated. Some of us (ouch). Still no children. descendant, Jesus Christ. I look back in reach burnout, but that’s not my We are told, “Abraham believed faith to Jesus’ life and death on the problem (yet). I do, however, need to God, and it was counted to him as righ- cross. By choosing to believe in what I act and get off the road to burnout. teousness [emphasis added]” (Genesis cannot see and do not feel—God’s I’ve been talking with God about 15:6; Romans 4:22). This man was promise of salvation—I, too, am made my heart condition. My natural mind blameless before God? On the contrary, righteous (Romans 4:23-25). reminds me that my traveling takes a Romans 5 (ESV) notes: toll, and it takes time to feel normal again (whatever normal is). My spirit I hear Abraham Therefore, since we have been reminds me I need restful times with justified by faith, we have peace Jesus—not the 15-minute Bible calling through the with God through our Lord reading and prayer—but quiet, Jesus Christ. Through him we extended time in Bible study, prayer, pages of Scripture. have also obtained access by listening, and waiting for God. I’m faith into this grace, in which we studying Romans with Bible Study stand, and we rejoice in the Fellowship and recently decided to put hope of the glory of God. Not myself in a quiet place and soak in his Abraham made huge mistakes (like only that, but we rejoice in our Word until I heard from Jesus. saying his wife was his sister to save his sufferings, knowing that suffer- The Bible study was from Romans 4, neck in Genesis 12). How could he be ing produces endurance, and which summarizes Abraham’s life. From right with the Holy One? endurance produces character, Genesis, we learn that at age 75, God Romans 4 explains that Abraham and character produces hope, told Abram (later Abraham) to leave his wasn’t righteous because of his persis- and hope does not put us to homeland and travel to “the land that I tence, obedience, actions, sacrifices to shame, because God’s love has will show you” (12:1, ESV). Abraham God, or even the radical step of circum- been poured into our hearts takes off, traveling about 600 miles cision. Verses 20-22 (ESV) relay: through the Holy Spirit who has north, with a side trip down to Egypt been given to us (vs. 1-5). (12:4-10). God tells Abraham, even No unbelief made him waver though he has no children, that he will concerning the promise of God, Through the same faith as Abraham, become the father of a great nation and but he grew strong in his faith as I can have peace with God. My chal- he gave glory to God, fully lenges can produce endurance, Kathy Schoonover-Shoffner, PhD, convinced that God was able to character, and hope. Weariness does not RN, serves as the National Director of do what he had promised. That is have to defeat me. Yes, I need to slow Nurses Christian Fellowship USA and Editor-in-Chief of JCN. why his faith was “counted to down and learn to rest. But like The author declares no conflict of him as righteousness.” Abraham, I can choose faith. I encour- interest. age you to trust God where you feel Copyright © 2018 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. No unbelief? No wavering? After all weary. Together, we can lean into God’s DOI:10.1097/CNJ.0000000000000473 he went through for such a long time, strength and provision. journalofchristiannursing.com JCN/January-March 2018 7