OnTheSideOct2022

On the Side: October 2022

Grit
by Shelly Wyrick

Medical life takes grit. We wrap our minds around MCAT scores, acceptance letters, residency placements and job contracts, knowing it’s not easy. There’s risk in leaving a paying job and moving across the country. And it’s scary. Will you land on your feet? Will you live on this budget? Will you make friends? Regardless, we have hope. We see the endpoint, or the little milestones on the way—the white coat ceremony, the match and the job signing.

So goes our faith. Like medical life, gritty faith requires risk, fear and hope.

Gritty faith takes risks. 
You know you cannot do this on your own, but you’re trying. You want to attend a Bible study but can’t handle the homework. Sign up anyway. You want to memorize the Word, but it’s hard just to remember stamps at the store. Just try. You want to get into a morning prayer routine, but odds are, you’ll fail at developing a daily habit. Find out. We don’t know until we try, so jump in.

Gritty faith takes fear. 
There’s no choosing faith over fear if there’s nothing to fear. I’ve asked God for gritty faith, knowing it’s a bold prayer. I’m requesting the transformation of fear into faith, knowing the stimulator is fear. Gulp. I will be fearful. If the weakness is going to be made strong, I will be weak. The lion taming, fire squelching and sword escapes of Old Testament stories involved lions, fires and swords. Gulp.

Gritty faith takes hope.
Failure’s prequel is hopelessness. Our faith has grit because of the hope set before us, and this hope cannot be shaken because it is the anchor of our soul. Always have hope. Be flagrant with hope. Claim hope over others’ hopelessness because it will not fail, knowing Christ has already been victorious. It is finished. We have an endpoint beyond a white coat ceremony, a job and retirement. We have eternal life with Christ Jesus; this hope cannot fail us.

Medical life, like gritty faith, takes risk, fear and hope. We walk by our spouse’s side, knowing the risks, facing the fear and seeing the hope. We can apply these same principles to our gritty faith by taking risks, choosing faith over fear and anchoring into hope.

Dear Jesus.
Give us gritty faith. Gulp. Work in and through us to develop deep faith, refined by the trials of life. Please help us to shine like a light in the world.
Amen


Shelly Wyrick is wife to her manly medical man and mom to four kids. She has been a physical therapist and stay-at-home mom and has recently added artist and writer to her titles. 

Christian Medical & Dental Associations®

About Christian Medical & Dental Associations®

The Christian Medical & Dental Associations® (CMDA) is made up of the Christian Medical Association (CMA) and the Christian Dental Association (CDA). CMDA provides resources, networking opportunities, education and a public voice for Christian healthcare professionals and students. Founded in 1931, CMDA provides programs and services supporting its mission to "change hearts in healthcare" with a current membership of over 13,000 healthcare professionals. CMDA promotes positions and addresses policies on healthcare issues; conducts overseas medical education and evangelism projects; coordinates a network of Christian healthcare professionals for fellowship and professional growth; sponsors student ministries in medical dental, PA, and other healthcare training schools; distributes educational and inspirational resources; hosts marriage and family conferences; provides developing world missionary healthcare professionals with continuing education resources; and conducts academic exchange programs overseas. By being the "hands of Jesus" to needy people, CMDA seeks to fulfill His Great Commandment (Matthew 22:39; 25:36) and His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). The Christian Medical & Dental Associations® is a 501(c)3 and is governed by a Board of Trustees and House of Delegates. Policies of CMDA are interpreted and applied by the Board of Trustees, which also establishes the guidelines for the executive director and his staff. An elected House of Delegates assists the board with recommendations on courses of action. The House of Delegates is composed of graduate, student, resident and missionary members who are elected for three-year terms by district and meets annually at the CMDA National Convention. Approximately 75 employees currently make up the staff of CMDA in the national office and U.S. field offices.

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