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Charley wanted some Tylenol #3 for his headaches. (Tylenol #3, a codeine-containing tablet for severe pain, can be quite addicting.) I took an appropriate history, then started to examine his head and neck. The history and physical exam were consistent with tension headaches. As my hands felt the tightness in his trapezius muscles, I said, "Charley, it seems as if you are carrying the burden of the world on your shoulders." "I certainly am," he replied. "You need something strong to help carry your burdens." "That’s why I want some Tylenol #3." "Charley, that’s not strong enough. You need something much stronger. Someone who will carry the burdens for you so you can be free!" "You mean God?" "Yes, I mean God!" I reviewed some of God’s promises and illustrated how they worked in my life. Charley, an occasional church attender, was comforted. But he was not ready to pursue a closer relationship with God. I took care of his other medical problems, prescribed Tylenol #3, and asked him to return at the appropriate time interval. When people carry burdens that only God can handle, they get symptoms. Humans have neither the strength nor the wisdom to carry God’s burdens! If we, as clinicians, only numb anxiety, we become part of the problem! Only God can carry the burdens of the world. Humans cannot. Those who carry their burdens act as if they are gods! This is being "idolatrous." Serious! When we as clinicians merely suppress the anxiety resulting from idolatrous behavior, we join our patients in their rebellion against God. However, God has "committed to us the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). He asks us to "call" our patients from their idolatrous behavior. By pointing out the relationship between self-trust and symptoms, we help them understand the cause of their suffering, the etiology of their symptoms. If we only suppress their symptoms, we remove consequences, and patients miss the correlation between being a god and the anxiety-caused headaches. God plans that the physical consequences of idolatry will call people to repentance. Heavy duty! As true prophets of Yahweh, we must speak truthfully about the relationship between trying to be gods and anxiety-caused headaches. I prescribed Tylenol #3 after I talked to Charley about reliable burdens, about the One who carries our burdens for us. When we don’t offer Jesus to our worrying patients, we miss opportunities to see God effectively heal our patients; we miss opportunities to bless patients and expand the Kingdom of God. We also miss opportunities to be used by the Holy Spirit, who speaks God’s words to His suffering children. Narcotics did not control Charley’s symptoms. Two weeks ago when I again saw him, his interest in spiritual matters had increased. God is still at work. I want to hear from you. Critique these ideas; make suggestions. I want this column to be an exchange of experiences.
Contact Dr. Elder at: helder@GoMETS.org. |
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