For the Lord Has Been Good to You
by Sarah Tompkins
“Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”
Psalm 116:7
I like to put Bible verses to song, to make them easier to recall. This Psalm has been very meaningful to me over the years and I love to sing it to myself. We need to be reminded of God’s goodness to us, during the hard seasons of life when circumstances fail us, during the seasons of hard choices, and during the times of joy and “ease”.
As high school graduation approached, I faced the standard tough decisions: Where should I go? What should I study and choose as a career? Then followed the nagging concerns: What if I pick the wrong school? Will I screw up my life if I make the wrong choice? God graciously reminded me through His Word and through Godly people that when I pursue God as first importance, the rest falls into place. When I seek Christ first, secondary decisions I make (college, marriage, career) will be the landscape where God is glorified through that most important decision.
I decided to attend Seattle Pacific University, and my dad got me wondering if my passions would likely be best invested as a nurse. But I’m not great at science, and I don’t even like science. God if this is where you want me, I need you to fill in the gaps. I proceeded to pursue a nursing degree, and God opened the doors at every step. I loved to meditate on Psalm 37:5, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” And I realized that God giving me the desire of my heart was not like a Disney princess being granted a self-centered wish. Rather with my focus and delight in the Lord, God Himself held the power to plant desires in my heart, and then fulfill them in a beautiful way that brings Him glory, despite myself.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Fast forward some years. I not only graduated with a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), but also with a love of science and a passion to share God’s love as a nurse. An aspiration I had from the start was to use this vocation on Mercy Ships, travel to other countries on a floating hospital and bring medical care to the poorest poor. However, at SPU I also earned my MRS (I was getting married)! So, I began my career in the landlocked state of Colorado where my husband attended seminary, and it was there I had an astonishing realization. My dream to be a nurse on the mission field was being realized right under my feet! Not on a ship, not in a distant country, but with each and every patient. I WAS on the mission field. The realization was so brilliant: I was standing on holy ground! And if not for safety rules and it being a generally bad idea to walk barefoot in a hospital, I would have taken off my shoes like Moses before the burning bush in when he stood in the presence of God. Psalm 37 goes on starting in verse 5, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” God planted desires inside my heart and He was graciously bringing them to fruition.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Fast forward once more. Back in Washington state, blessed with five amazing kids, and I had a job as a nurse at a hospital job where I only work but three night shifts each month. My kids have become my main ministry; however, nursing is still a mission field as well. Prior to such infrequent shifts at the hospital, I found myself always anxious with concerns. I’m not specialized any more, and in this department I have so much to learn. I have people’s lives in my hands. What if I mess up? What if I just don’t know what to do in a situation? What if I didn’t sleep enough before my shift and I make a stupid mistake? Every shift felt like a first day back after vacation, thinking hard to recall my passwords, overthinking how to run my shift efficiently, feeling rusty. My prayer life on the drive to work became desperate, trying to escape my anxieties. But after some time, a song came to my mind, and rested my heart.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
1 Peter 5:7 reads, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” Slowly I remembered that the weight of the world was not on my shoulders. I did have much to learn, and God was helping me do so. Yes, I am dealing with people’s lives, but people whom God created and He loves them more than I do, and He put me at their bedside. I probably will mess up at some point, and I likely will be stumped from time to time; I am human. But God is gracious, His mercies are new every morning. I am not alone, and I can ask for help from the people He’s placed in my life. Maybe I only got a 30-minute nap before my shift, or no rest at all. But if God is faithful in all these places, I can trust Him to provide the strength I need for tonight.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
REFLECTION:
Where have you seen God’s goodness and faithfulness?
In what ways do you try to find rest for your soul?
Brainstorm some areas that you need to learn to trust God more. Write them down & discuss with a trusted friend or mentor.