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God planted the seed in my heart for service.
God has blessed me with a university degree in physiotherapy and called me to work in nursing homes. My inspiration extends back to my childhood days, when God introduced me to my Auntie Patricia. When my grandmother was very frail and dependent, my Auntie put her own life on hold to become her full time carer. She sacrificed her own career, livelihood and time for another person, a trait of a true servant of God. Not only did she meet her challenge with indescribable patience, love and dedication, but she accepted her vocation quietly with remarkable humility. What is truly notable is the fact that she was also incredibly generous to us whilst being very frugal herself. I believe God wanted to use her to teach me about servanthood, as in Mark 10:43 “whoever wants to be great must become a servant”.
God showed me the challenge.
What a wonderful blessing it is to be called to stewardship with God. In my earlier working years, I was determined to make a difference by attaining unrealistic workload and setting unrealistic expectations. Without realising it, humility was soon replaced with my personal pursuit for greatness. I felt like Apostle James and John depicted in Matthew 20: 20-28, wanting to be the greatest servant. It wasn’t long before my vigour ran out and I felt burnout physically and emotionally. God, in His perfect timing, allowed me to stop, revive and survive.
One of the major obstacles with my work is the patients’ defeatist attitude to life. Many succumb to sense of hopelessness when they are faced with chronic sicknesses, pain, suffering and imminent death. Many physical symptoms manifests from psychological conditions and spiritual attacks (brokenness, loneliness, grief, depression). As a clinician, I admit we are limited in knowledge and skills. Only our Creator has the infinite knowledge and skills to heal each one of us completely. The mountain was bigger than I anticipated and God made me realise my own limitations.
I turned to God for help.
God gave me a perfect companion, the Holy Spirit.
By the amazing grace of God, I was introduced to the THS (Temple of the Holy Spirit) charismatic prayer group several years ago and was baptised in the Holy Spirit. Since my baptism of the Holy Spirit, I felt an inner peace and sudden closeness to God. It has been surreal. The Holy Spirit guided me in all facets of my spiritual journey, from discernments in prayers to understanding of Scriptures. By bringing me to the light of God’s holiness, I was able to honestly assess and reconcile my past pride and sins. I was also made aware of the spiritual warfare.
Holy Spirit gave me a revelation during a prayer over session, to surrender totally and have fellowship with Jesus. I also received a specific message, that is, to emulate the characteristics of Apostle Andrew in my vocation. Although he was not as outspoken and prominent as the other disciples, he displayed great humility and obedience. Like Apostle Andrew, I aspire to act and think like a servant: to be available, be dedicated, be faithful and be humble in service. I praise God for the revelations!
God has delivered and healed me of my own infirmities before I could be His instrument of service. I no longer feel disappointed, critical and fatigued with my work. I was reborn again in faith and in spirit. The verses from 2 Cor. 5:17-18 speaks to me loudly: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ”.
Holy Spirit is not only my great Counsellor and Comforter, He gives me direction on how to live righteously. He is always there for me in times of weakness and prayer. He is the bridge within me to God! What a perfect companion!
God gave me a mission.
According to Mark 16:15-20, we are all commissioned to proclaim the good news to the whole nation, to baptise people in Holy Spirit, to lay hands on the sick, to cast out demons and heal them in Jesus’ name! This is the same mission statement we have adopted for THS. Many THS members have taken big steps to “make disciples of all nations” by evangelising to many Eastern Asian countries such as Taiwan, HK, Malaysia and Singapore. This is faith in action! I am compelled through obedience to do the same for my patients at the nursing homes. Each day, the Holy Spirit fills me with an exuberant energy to serve His people. I am not climbing the mountain alone anymore. The Holy Spirit is by my side. And if the opportunity arises, I would proclaim the good news, lay hands in prayers and ask for perfect healing in the name of Jesus. And whenever challenges arise, I would find refuge in the Holy Spirit instead of shouldering the burden myself.
God showed me miracles.
I have witnessed miracles at work. There are stories of patients recovering from conditions that defy medical comprehension.
One particular patient came to mind. Mrs Chang, whom we affectionately refer to as “Grandma”, is a wonderful testimony to God’s wonder. “Grandma” is a very religious but frail 90+ years old Taiwanese lady. Despite having endured major storms in her life (the tragic loss of her husband in WWII), she has never ceased follow God’s heart. She demonstrated great love and unselfish dedication in raising her two daughters, of whom one became a nun. Her daughter saw “a glimpse of the Blessed Mother” in her and described her as “ordinarily extraordinary”.
She is now riddled with chronic health conditions, including deformities in knees from osteoarthritis and hip fractures. What is remarkable is the fact that she was bedridden for at least 12 months prior to my first visit. She had muscle contractures and bed sores to prove. Her goal is to walk again. Drawing from my experience, I advised her and her family that to walk again is impossible. However, what is impossible to us is not impossible to God. In response to prayers and intercessions, God’s divine intervention healed her of her bed sores, and she soon became stronger in her legs muscles! By faith, she decided to try standing, than taking steps and now walking!!!! This is nothing short of a miracle. Halleluiah!!!
Conclusion
God has set me in a journey of servanthood in my vocation as an aged care worker. By speaking to me through my conviction and passion, He aroused a sense of mission within me. He placed the right influence and challenges at His perfect timing to shape and form my character. The Holy Spirit has led me to become a better clinician, serving my vocation with a genuine biblical humility, obedience and trust. By giving God the authority and glory He deserves, some of my patients have demonstrated healing that is nothing short of a miracle. I am delighted to be called to be His instrument: to be able to comfort those in the midst of the pain and suffering; to help them experience His love and give them a reason to hope.
Blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our affliction and enables us to comfort those who are in trouble, with the same consolation we have received from him. |
