Doctor

My daughter went through several childhood years of screaming every time we took her to the Doctor.  I don’t mean she was just upset and crying...I would describe it as full fledged terror to the point of making herself stop breathing.  I would literally drag her into the pediatricians’ office kicking and screaming.  Her physical didn’t fair much better.  She refused to get undressed and wear the paper gown or even stay on the examine table. I had to hold her down, and often times she worked herself up so much that she would throw up.  I remember feeling like such a horrible mother as I received looks that said, “What are you doing to your child”, or looks from our doctor that said, “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”  Maybe you have a child like that...I sure hope I wasn't the only one...I am pleased to report that she grew out of it with lots of prayer and encouragement.  Although, our entire family now avoids doctor appointments when at all possible, my little girl did grow up to figure out her fear and face it. 

For many years I took routine exams, pediatric appointments, well and sick child visits and occasional trips to the emergency room for granted.  We never had any life threatening episodes, but a few casts and stitches were among those trips. We had insurance and enough money to cover the co-pays and deductibles. Years later, self-employed, divorced, and without insurance, doctor visits took on a whole new light.  We avoided the doctor, not because of anxiety this time, but because of the lack of funds to pay for the visits.  “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” held a whole new meaning. We started taking vitamins and becoming more “germ” conscious. We took better care of ourselves to avoid the doctor, and we began learning healthy home remedies for many conditions.

Maybe you can relate to having a child with a fear of the doctor or not being able to pay for medical visits. You may be a step ahead of where I was and already take good care of your body and find natural ways to restore yourself to health.  No matter what the doctor represents to you, Scripture reminds us that God is the great physician. The name given to Him is Jehovah Rophi, God who heals.  During Jesus ministry on earth He went about healing every kind of sickness and disease among the people.  He did this in order to show them His power to forgive sins.  He says in Isaiah 53 verse 4 that He bears our grief and our sorrows.  Jesus has paid the ultimate price for our sin, including those related to divorce. (make sure you get that deep in your soul)  He has already taken on himself the grief and pain of your divorce.  He has promised to heal you.  Accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life and call to him when you are hurting.  He will heal you.  Psalm 30:2, “O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.”

When your children are sick and you are worried for them, you take them to the pediatrician whom you trust for medical advice and care. When you are afraid or sick because of your divorce, take yourself to the “great physician” and ask for His help.  It is free, and He promises to give it to you.  There is hope for your future. Your diagnosis is not fatal, in fact, you have been given a new lease on life and the days ahead are brighter! 

Don’t be afraid of the “doctor” like my daughter was. Trust Him fully to lead you in the right direction and prescribe “new life” abundant and free. "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10