Dear 'Anonymous', I read your comment, and deleted it, as I felt that you totally misunderstood the context and spirit behind my writings. Although things are a bit busy right now, I felt compelled to sit down and write to you, because although I don't know you, you matter to me. I have immense empathy for you and your little daughter.
I'm assuming that you don't know me personally. I have been in the ministry all my life....I have worked with hundreds of people and held many hands in hospital rooms of people that in one day their life has taken a turn, and changed forever. THESE people are NOT the ones that I am referring to in my blog.
My post was referring to people that have nothing wrong with them, and try to conjure up sickness and affliction.
I am right now thinking of a girl that I won to the Lord that I have always described her as a 'Pentecostal Model'. An incredibly beautiful girl. Talented girl. She was very active and right in the middle of everything our church did. This girl is the same age as my oldest son, and has been like a daughter to me. At the age I think it was 21, one day she was helping her family with something, and all the sudden she couldn't walk or move. They took her to the Doctor and found out that the bones in her back were deteriorating. **I don't know all the medical details**, but to make a very long story short, she had a couple of very serious surgeries. (The first one, the Surgeon might have even done more damage than good).....This beautiful, talented, girls life changed in one day. She lives in pain like very few can relate to. She lives in an almost bedridden state. Her condition is not one that is 'conjured up' or the invention of a negative disposition. In fact she has never blamed God, and from her bed has made outreach calls and helped in organizational things.... from her bed. She has a debilitating situation, but it is NOT hypochondriasis.
I have also been in a surgical waiting room of someone that the doctor came out with dozens of 8x10 colored pictures (that he took during exploratory surgery), almost apologetically telling the husband that "as hard as I have tried to find something wrong with your wife,... I can't. I took these pictures as proof. Unfortunately, this is one time that I think my patient will be disappointed." He and the husband looked each other in the eye, both silently acknowledging the fact that this lady definitely was sick, but it was a different kind of sickness. Both shook their heads, and the doctor walked out.
Being able to discern the 'real' from the 'fake' is an asset when in the ministry. Although all need love and direction, there is only 24 hours in a day, and if we couldn't discern who really needed help, the ones who need it the most would be neglected.
I also must add that I have seen many a home broken because of this very 'Debilitating Disease of Hypochondriasis',.....if we don't address it, we really aren't helping anyone in the end are we?
My heart and prayers are with you and your daughter.
2 comments:
Hypochondriacs are certainly sick and in need of our compassion and counsel. Mental illness is real and God is the only cure. I understand that there is a stigma attached to people that are mentally ill. The church has done a poor job in helping the MI, we often sees it as a personality flaw or spiritual weakness, perhaps its both but Jesus is a healer.
Its unfortunate that we disregard or even make fun of these people because Jesus died for just that kind of person.
GT,
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
It is unfortunate that you have had a negative experience with the 'church' regarding this subject.
I am in total agreement with you, that God can heal any and every infirmity!!
It is thought provoking that Jesus when approaching some one with a need would often ask, 'Would you be made whole'?
In my lifetime of ministry experience, there are some who do not want 'wholeness'.
In these cases what do we do? My opinion and what I practice is this; I pray for them. I love them. However, there so many that want to be made whole and need our time and attention.
I have dedicated my life to loving and serving people. I take this calling very serious and pray daily for compassion and wisdom. God bless you and all you do!! We certainly need each other!!!
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