I hear the question often. “God must have kept me alive for a reason. I wonder why?”

I talked about it yesterday, in fact. 

A coworker had a major medical event. Eventually she recovered and went back to work. I said, “What if your reason is to be an even more effective, even more compassionate coworker? What if it’s not about quitting and building an orphanage somewhere?” 

Because this person is already skilled at her work. Now she understands it from the inside. 

She said she hadn’t thought about it that way. 

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I talked with another coworker. He’s applied for a new position, a promotion. He’s applied before and hasn’t gotten it. On one hand, there’s some inconsistency in hiring. On the other, he’s got a remarkable presence with coworkers and patients and visitors.

The promotion would change that. He wouldn’t have all that connection, all that encouraging. He’s considering the possibility that he’s still in drivers training for following God and caring for people. 

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I talked with another coworker, caught between a really really tough caregiving work situation and an adult kid in the ED. Her kid didn’t need her, but she cared. And she knew that she’d be able to talk with her kid and knew that the mom in the room would not be having the conversations by the end of the night. I reminded the caregiver that there’s no comparative grief. And that being a mom is hard. And then I walked into the room and heard just how good the caregiver has been. 

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Dear friends. Listen to hearts. Listen for hearts. Speak words of affirmation and permission. Because it may be the work you are called to do, a work that is enough, a work that is complicated, a work that is good. 

In your house, in your hallway, in your line. 

Today.