Sacrificing church to study instead SMH

Nurses Spirituality

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I mentally debate weekly between church service or study time. What gives?? Im NEVER sorry when I choose church, but I still feel like I am dragging myself away from my books EVERY Sunday! Even if I just watch Chuck Swindoll, Charles Stanley or Joyce Meyer on You Tube that week, how can I prevent feeling "guilty" for not studying? I know that I need my 3 hour service every week for motivation, priority reminders and the (rare) social connection, apart from my BSN program. What other mantra can I tell myself then for spending a fraction of my week to keep up with my personal, spiritual maintenance?

Maybe it isnt so different than making "me time" or "family time" a priority like so many other students struggle to balance, though I feel like it is. My time with God, in church, IS my me time & is very satisfying. Besides I wouldnt even BE blessed with this wonderful mission to become a nurse, if not for God opening doors towards my new life fulfilling purpose. But I am torn between fulfilling my mission to learn the skills needed to successfully help others vs. putting time with God first, sigh. So, guess my question is this ... Is dedicating myself primarily to successfully becoming a nurse a noble justification for neglecting my church time? Or am I just plain ol' idolizing my career?

Specializes in hospice.

It's clear you don't understand faiths that require formal observance of the Sabbath, and that's fine, I'm just asking you not to talk pejoratively about us. Orthodox Jews are obeying the command to keep holy the Sabbath when they attend Temple and keep Shabbat. I don't know Muslim scriptures well enough to give you a relevant quote, but maybe someone else can. I am Catholic, though, so I can explain why we are required to attend Mass on Sundays. Jesus commanded us to "do this in remembrance of me." Since only priests can consecrate the Eucharist, we can't fulfill that command unless we go to Mass. While following man made commands might be legalism, following one directly from Christ is not. The intimate relationship we have with Jesus Christ, where His body and blood feed us, is the source and summit of grace and how we best receive it. I don't care if you believe what I believe, and I don't care what your church would say about it, I just ask that you not say derisive things like our relationship being to a building when that's clearly not true. I didn't pick apart any other faith or denomination's teachings, so I ask the same courtesy.

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I agree that you are supposed to put God first, but this situation is really not very different from working on church days and being unable to attend, because you are at work. Can't you spend 10 min. or so worshipping by yourself? 12 hour shifts completely knock me out of going to church many, many days. Our church meets at 10 on Sunday morning, and I work every other weekend. I used to think this was OK, because I was doing God's work by tending to my patients, but then someone reminded me "that doesn't count because you are PAID for it." Praying for you to make the right decision.

I am 100% sure it still counts. It's the reason behind true action that counts. It will not go unseen.

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Ultimately, it's between you and God. Your relationship with Him is what you have to give time to. Yes, we are called to do many things and sometimes are very own churches can expect a lot from us. But they're plenty of ways to be filled with the word and keep connected with the church during a busy time.

I would wake up early and make sure to dedicate time to Him before anything. Everything else always sorted itself out throughout my day. You need Him to get through this difficult time. But it's between you and Him. Not what others approve of or disapprove of on these posts.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
It's clear you don't understand faiths that require formal observance of the Sabbath, and that's fine, I'm just asking you not to talk pejoratively about us. Orthodox Jews are obeying the command to keep holy the Sabbath when they attend Temple and keep Shabbat. I don't know Muslim scriptures well enough to give you a relevant quote, but maybe someone else can. I am Catholic, though, so I can explain why we are required to attend Mass on Sundays. Jesus commanded us to "do this in remembrance of me." Since only priests can consecrate the Eucharist, we can't fulfill that command unless we go to Mass. While following man made commands might be legalism, following one directly from Christ is not. The intimate relationship we have with Jesus Christ, where His body and blood feed us, is the source and summit of grace and how we best receive it. I don't care if you believe what I believe, and I don't care what your church would say about it, I just ask that you not say derisive things like our relationship being to a building when that's clearly not true. I didn't pick apart any other faith or denomination's teachings, so I ask the same courtesy.

Please provide a quotation where I spoke "perjoratively" about you or anyone else in this thread. You are offended unnecessarily about something that I posted to the OP specifically. That is not very Christian of you as I am certain you are aware. Why are you choosing to take something which was not directed at you so personally and then choosing to be offended by it? Where is your grace?

I do understand different faith systems. I don't agree that there is a reasonable argument to be made that formal observance of a Sabbath is a requirement of Christianity, which is the faith of myself and the OP. Somehow you believe that the Bible REQUIRES you to attend a religious service on Sunday. I can only presume that this is something you have been taught by church leadership because it is not a portion of the New Testament teachings of Jesus Christ, nor is it one of the "commandments" that Jesus clarified for us. Any Christian who is familiar with the Bible knows that we are cautioned to not forsake gathering together and we are offered good reasons to do so. Perhaps you could share the scripture that leads you to feel so empassioned about this "requirement" to attend a religious service on the Sabbath. While you are at it, maybe you could tell me if that Sabbath falls on Saturday or Sunday, according to the Bible.

This thread is not a place to argue the validity of the rules that churches have long sought to use to control their congretations. It is a thread to help a student discover how to achieve balance in life while NOT neglecting either study OR worship.

I would respectfully request that you take a deep breath, tuck your hurt feelings back inside, pray for peace, and re-read what I wrote. I did not say that your relationship was anything at all. I didn't address you or your faith in any way. You interjected yourself into my comments to the OP and then choose to be offended. You could just as easily choose not to be offended since it was clearly not my intention to offend anyone.

I will ask you this, what does the Lord require of you? Your church apparently requires attendance in certain places at certain times...but what does the Lord require of you? The answer is in the Bible and it is pretty simple.

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Specializes in hospice.

You really don't see how accusing another Christian of violating the Bible and practicing legalism, and saying that those who formally observe the Sabbath have a relationship merely to a building and not their God, could be perceived as offensive?

Well, then, this discussion really is at an end because we have nowhere to go.

And as for me supposedly inserting myself between you and the OP, I commented before you did. In a public discussion like this, responses are intended for all to read and for all to respond to. If you wanted to PM the OP, you should have. But on an open thread your comments are for public consumption and discussion.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Please remember the terms of service: debate the topic, not the poster. Thanks.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day:

There's a difference between faith and religion. Religion has dogma, rules, regulations, and such. I'm not sure why some people are bringing up Muslims; if you read their works, you would know they don't believe Jesus is God the Son (Jesus stated He is the only way to salvation), don't believe Jesus died on the cross, don't believe in His resurrection. Yes, that is religion filled with works and dogma along with many other things.

Jesus never mentioned frequency or specific days of the week in terms of "do this in remembrance of me." Please note, for any who feel they are blessed with church, that's great. If you feel blessed in fellowship that's great. No one is telling anyone to stop. Yet, on the same token, it is extremely legalistic and work-based to state that such things are required, required to be done on any specific day or time, etc. in terms of one's salvation as we are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, not by any works (to be clear, salvation comes through Christ Jesus and Christ Jesus alone).

Thank you.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
You really don't see how accusing another Christian of violating the Bible and practicing legalism, and saying that those who formally observe the Sabbath have a relationship merely to a building and not their God, could be perceived as offensive? And can you provide a quotation by me which reflects my ACCUSATION of violating the Bible, practicing legalism or saying that those who formally observe the Sabbath as having a relationship with a building? Please post my words which accused and labeled in the way you have interpreted.

Well, then, this discussion really is at an end because we have nowhere to go.

And as for me supposedly inserting myself between you and the OP, I commented before you did. In a public discussion like this, responses are intended for all to read and for all to respond to. If you wanted to PM the OP, you should have. But on an open thread your comments are for public consumption and discussion.

Yes they are open for consumption and discussion OF THE TOPIC rather than the individual nit picking over a decision to misread and then be offended by the words of another. What you are engaged in here is NOT discussion of the topic, it is an interjection of YOUR FEELINGS into comments that I made to the OP which you have decided to take personally and with offense.

I would encourage you to take a deep breath, re-read my comments for comprehension while resting in the grace of God so as to avoid unnecessary offense.

This thread is not about you or me and while I am sorry that you were offended by my comments to the OP, frankly I am not responsible for your emotional distress in the matter.

By the way, did you discover in the Bible what the Lord requires of you? Micah 6:8 tells us what the Lord REQUIRES of us. What your church might require is a different matter.

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Jesus knows where your are at. My advice is.... Just keep your relationship with Him healthy.

Keep you prayer life alive and well. Give thanks for everything, worry about nothing. Go to services when you can.... God bless.?

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Specializes in ER.

3 hours is kind of lengthy.

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Micah 6:8 MSG

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.

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A person determining that they will dedicate time to worship is certainly not blocking grace. A person living under the impression that they MUST worship in a particular way in a specific place as a "requirement" is succumbing to legalism which may put their grace in jeopardy, IMHO. We are freed from the law and are saved by grace, not by our actions/deeds. What we do with our time and energies is evidence of our faith and grace.

Thank you, my fellow Alaskan, for reminding me to prioritize my motivation. My perspective instantly changed, reminding me that my church time with God is my weekly treat :cat: and how God is with me all day & everywhere I am ~

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