"Symptoms, then are in reality nothing but the cry from suffering organs." ~Jean-Martin Charcot

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday morning in an attempt to deal with a chronic health problem.  The visit there was not pleasant.  I will spare you the details, but the doctor had to cause pain and discomfort in order to determine his best course of action to promote healing.  I left there feeling worse than when I arrived.

After some discussion, the doctor prescribed some medication for me to take.  Based on his expertise, he thinks this particular drug will lead to remediating my problem.  When I picked up the meds from the pharmacy, it included a detailed description from the manufacturer that laid out all of the possible side effects.  They, too, appear to be very unpleasant.

In considering all of that, it occurred to me that most of the time, our health problems are that way - the testing and the treatment can actually cause us pain and discomfort.  You see that quite vividly with diseases like cancer - people are willing to go through the painful experience of surgery, as well as the awful rigors of chemotherapy in order to eradicate their disease.  But when it works, the result is well worth the pain and suffering.

What if I had told my doctor yesterday, "No way am I going to let you do that, because it is uncomfortable and painful."  I would have left there with no sure diagnosis, and therefore no hope for healing - my time and money would've been wasted.  Or what if I looked at the list of medicinal side effects, and said, "No way am I going to risk having those things happen to me!" - - so I don't take the medicine.  It is obvious that I won't receive the benefits of the drug if I refuse to take it, and I will continue with the same problem.  

Life is like that in other ways, isn't it?  We recognize we have some sort of problem - maybe something in our life that needs correction.  We know we are not living according to the Standard of God's Word, and that our spiritual disease will lead to death.  So, we go to the Great Physician.  But, we don't like what He says.  Maybe it is painful to let Him make a diagnosis, as it hurts to take an honest look at ourselves.  But, we do it anyway.  We can clearly see the problem, and we know He offers a remedy for healing - our repentance and obedience.  But then we begin to rationalize... If I do THAT, it will hurt.  It might affect my relationship with someone I love, or it might cause me pain or discomfort in some way.  I don't want to give it up.  Is the pain really worth it?

As I take time this month to consider things I am thankful for which I often take for granted, today I am thankful for diagnostic and healing physical pain, which reminds me of the blessing of spiritual healing which is sometimes painful as well.  And in both cases, I am thankful for the result - a wholeness that only an accurate diagnosis and remedy can bring.