Studies and God?

After 5 semesters in IMU I don't know how to answer when people say that IMU Christians are too busy studying to serve God. I get tongue tied when people ask me, "So do you think I should take up this and this." Or the right words to say when someone wants to lay off "ministry.

This is especially when I'm coming from both sides...a medical student who understands the vigors and strain of studying....but also a "leader" who understands that serving God takes us to a deeper level with God. (Please excuse me that I'm using the moniker leader loosly) It is true that God must be the first piority and love of our lives. It is essential that we must have no other Gods before Him, even "good" pursuits like the quest for more knowledge can be deadly if they take the place of God. And we as Christians must learn to sacrifice our comfort and time. Only when we serve God, we truly catch the heart of God and feel the urgency in reaching people for God.

But I know as well, how draining juggling both studies and serving God can be. Sometimes it's not that people choose not to serve God when they are studying Medicine, but that they can't even get up of bed to eat dinner...physically tired by the real demands of a medical doctor/student. Added to the stress of constantly memorizing and trying to keep alive a semblance of a normal social life is just crazy.

I'm not saying that our busy schedules are an excuse to not serve God. But I'm just saying we need to reconsider what we catagorize serving as. Or at least I need to reconsider serving as.

The issue of serving has been on my mind lately...especially when I recognize I am nearing burnout at this busy period. Most of us think serving as being in the Christian Fellowship or church...either playing the guitar or speaking or counseling...etc...but I've come to realize that sometimes a lot of church activities actually cap our time on our interaction with non-Christians. In fact, being too busy in church can be a bad thing...after all, Jesus called us to be fishers of men and not fish tenders of Christians.

Sometimes I feel it's better to be a basketball club member who shares the gospel through example on the court than a CF president who is busy with meetings till she has no time to go out with non-Christian friends for a movie.

But then again, if we do not have Christian leaders, we won't be inspired to share the gospel on court... If we don't attend CF/CG, we won't be reminded/inspired to share with our basketball chums. And if there's nobody to organize CF/CG, how would we attend CF/CG? Going back to the busy medical student issue.

Which do you think is serving God better? A hardworking student who gives his best in studies, have great grades and goes to church every week. Or an average student who could be better if he spent more time in his books, but who makes time to serve in the worship team, attends CG and church?

Coming from the point of view of a Christian leader I would say Mr2nd...You know how we say...grades are all not that important...it's who we impact...who we serve...making your life count...purposeful life...etc but let's just say..the first student because of his hard work finds a cure to cancer...won't he impact more lives? And if he studies extremely hard not because studies is the 1st piority in life..but he wants to glorify God by doing well...essentially his service is his dedication in studies...is his service "less" honouring just because he doesn't be actively involved in church?

I realize that it's very easy to but studies as our idol as a medical student. But I also realize if we do not give our best, we are also doing God a great disservice! Then, can we have it all? Both a good student and still serve in ministries?

I think that I'm trying to "have it all" Be a great student, be a good leader, be a good friend, be a good friend to non-Christians, have enough time to mix around with diff people in my batch, have enough time to make sure people in CF are doing ok...ppl in CG too...doing all at once can be draining to say the least.

I don't know...

More and more...as we go deeper into medicine, we'd have less and less time for "service" And if we try to overexert ourselves, it'll be havoc...physically and spiritually... Yet if we don't "serve" are we just chasing knowledge that will cure the physical but not the spiritual?

There's so much I don't know yet. I can say that I'll serve God(in the normal way we use the word serving. CG leader, etc) no matter what now but if you tell me this 4 years down the line, as a tired houseman I might just say it was naivity.

But there's one thing I believe will hold true...the true condition of our heart determines whether we "serve" God or not. Be it just controlling our temper as a tired houseman and being polite to the nurse...that would be serving God. Studying hard as a student with the right attitude to honour God (without using it as an excuse to mask it as an idol before God or a simple cliche..but a real conviction)...that would be serving God. Being a pastor is also service, just as being a stay at home mum...

It makes sense to say it's better to serve God by being a kind and patient doctor who might not have other "ministries" than a tired, impatient doctor who's too worn out from leading CG, speaking in church etc.

But of course if you can do both..that's better.. :)

So where to serve. What to serve in. Should you " serve"? How much is too much or how little is too little? Are you doing enough? Too much?

I really don't know. I dare not comment prematurely. But this I know...serving must start from God...and ultimately, the condition of our hearts matter more. Simply said, are we obedient what He has called us to do? (regardless if it involves campus ministry or speaking or writing or counselling or just doing our responsibilities well)

Serving is ultimately doing what He wants, at the season He wants, by His strength.
As the saying goes, God's work, done in God's timing with God's way will never lack God's blessings.