Finding Purpose Beyond The Routines
Caught Between What God Says and What the World Says? Dr Agun Has Been There…
My work lets me see people in practically the worst days of their lives, the days they are not prepared for. Many times, I have had to strike a balance between what I know to be humanly true and possible, and the knowledge that God controls everything and that he has human lives in his hands.
Sometime last year, a child patient was presented at the emergency room on account of a head injury. The child had fallen from a very tall height. The funny thing is, I had seen a video clip of a testimony about a couple of days before then, and each time I rethink this case, I know God allowed me to see that video clip just for that case.
The testimony was about a mom sharing her IVF journey to having twins. Then, when they were about 2 years old, one of the twins fell from the two-storey building and was admitted to the ICU. At the end, that child (the twin) walked out of the hospital himself after about 2 weeks on admission.
Circling back to my patient, the case was just as critical. Of course, I had to let them know the prognosis, but still, I emphasized that that is me just speaking as a human. I let them know that God still changes things.
I felt the prompt to share the testimony of what I had watched with the mother of my patient, and I saw her trusting more and being more hopeful. That gave her the boost to get the required things done (medications and investigations).
At that point, I wasn’t trying to give false hope. It was me saying that I am trusting God with you.
Then, thankfully and gradually, I saw the child improve and get better. That case wasn’t just an ordinary occurrence, it was a period I felt God tell me to share that testimony with that woman and witness him.
Caught in a Sticky Situation at Work? Fred Saw God Come Through…
It was my first major documentary, and I was completely lost on what to do. Here’s the backstory:
I did all the backstage and prior planning, but something completely unexpected happened. I lost all the footage of the documentary, and it couldn’t be reshot.
This doesn’t sound like the typical ‘calling God into a situation’, but at that point, God was all I had. I couldn’t go tell the client that I had lost all the files we had worked on. So, I cried and prayed to God. I talked to God about how easily the job came, and I believed he was willing to uphold that element of ease and peace to the end. Therefore, I summoned up the courage to tell the client.
Her reaction basically explained to me that no matter what you are going through, God has powers beyond what you could expect. She took it a lot better than I expected. To give some context, a typical Nigerian could have gotten me arrested for those lost files.
Those files had significant value, it was a surprise shoot for people who hadn’t seen their parents in 7 years. So that was a lot to deal with; that’s why I couldn’t wrap my head around her response. It completely surprised me.
Then, I decided I had to overcompensate and work really hard on the rest of the project, and in the end, they loved it. Looking back now, I probably wouldn’t have put in that much effort if I hadn’t lost those files.
One thing I can take away from that experience is that God cares about the things we do.
Previously, I would have thought God had no concern with videography and filmmaking. But then, I realised that if God is concerned with the number of strands on our head, then he’s concerned even more about what we do with the skills and talents he’s given to us.
Need a Miracle in Your School Work? Here’s How Okikijesu Realised God as a Redeemer…
I had an exam for a statistics course in my third year, and I had enough time to prepare, and so I did. So, a little back story, I also had a statistical course in my second year. I remember the state I was in when I left the exam because my answer to a question was far from what it was meant to be. I was sad because it wasn’t supposed to be hard, and it wasn’t actually hard.
Also, the question was from a previous exam, and it felt like everyone else had practised the question except me.
So, I was so glad that we were going to have another statistics course in the next session–it felt like I was given another chance to redeem myself. I started the exam well and finished a few minutes before the end of the allotted time. Since I still had some time, I decided to go over what I did and found a mistake that affected every step to my answer. I was so grateful to God that I found the mistake and was able to correct it before we were told to submit it.
Once the allocated time was up, we were told to submit. I came out of the exam happy and grateful to God. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to discuss the answers with my friends, but my happiness made me do it. That was when I discovered my answer was different, that I answered the question in the wrong way.
The happy emotions I felt ceased, and I was faced with the reality that, based on what I heard, I had just lost a whole 15 marks. I was destabilised. That particular question was the kind that, if you miss or get a step wrong, you get everything wrong.
At that moment, I didn’t know what I could get, and I started to doubt every other question I thought I had answered correctly before that moment. I also didn’t know my C.A. score, which could have helped me to have an idea of what my result would look like. At the moment, I honestly longed to just get to my hostel and talk to God.
Eventually, I got to my hostel, talked to God about it, and I felt peace. I had to move on from overthinking because I had to prepare for the next exam. After writing all my exams for that semester, I decided to write out the list of the courses I took that semester. I also wrote out the results I wanted to have by faith in God.
Philippians 4:6-7 ERV
Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.
In front of that course, I wrote what I thought I would get based on what happened that day. However, after a while, I changed the score to what I prayed for. In front of that course, I wrote: “a miracle.”
A few months later, our results were out. I checked the statistical course, and I don’t know how to express what I was experiencing at that moment. I froze, cried, and I was shaking as well. My friends around me were like, “Are you good? Is it good?”
I got the miracle!
And it was my highest score for that semester!
I don’t think I was full of faith, because I remember that sometimes I would look at the list that I wrote and I would laugh at what I wrote.
After laughing, I’d say, “if I actually get this in this course, I would be so surprised” and other times I would look at it and hope for it. God is faithful, and I have had so many other moments that remind me that, indeed, blessed is the man who trusts in the name of the Lord and the Lord is my helper.
This story reminds me that it’s not only about one’s abilities, but it’s beautiful and amazing to do what you can and also enjoy the help and unmerited favour of God.
But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect. In fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles, though it was not I, but the grace of God [His unmerited favour and blessing which was] with me
1 Corinthians 15:10 AMP
Join Us This Sunday!
This Sunday at Sycamore Church, we begin a new Teaching Series on Making Work Work, and we invite you to be part of it!
If you have ever wondered what God thinks about our work and how He equips us for it, you are welcome to join us in person at our church premises behind Mobil Filling Station, Samonda, Ibadan.
If you’re unable to make it physically, you can join our online church via YouTube.
_
Dr Similoluwa Agun serves with the Next Steps Team at Sycamore Church, Ibadan. Okikijesu Ojo and Fredrick Olugbenro both attend Sycamore Church, Ibadan._
Written By Lolade Folorunso
Lolade serves with the Content Team at Sycamore Church, Ibadan.
(Blogposts are creative expressions generously provided for Sycamore Church. The ideas and thoughts do not necessarily represent the position of Sycamore Church)
