The Intersection of Faith and Medicine

“Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”  (3 John 1:2 NLT)

This past month has been an interesting and challenging one for myself and many around me. It has left me with a few questions about how my faith intersects with the medicine I practice daily.

As a medical doctor (who believes wholeheartedly that God has called me to this profession) AND a bible believing, faith walking Christian, there are many situations I face on a weekly basis that sometimes leave me conflicted and seeking the Lord for guidance.

Where does my faith come into my daily medical practice? How do I get fellow believers to accept that medical doctors have a role to play in their healing? When do we decide that this patient is ill because of a spiritual stronghold or attack and not just a biological cause? How does my faith and scientific knowledge mesh together without offending one party or another? These are just a few of the questions that I consider daily.

My Perspective

This month I received quite a bit of bad news of a few different brothers and sisters in Christ who were either hospitalized, battling metastatic cancer, or just struggling with the daily complications of a chronic disease (including mental illness). It was also quite ironic that I started struggling with my own health issues triggered by stress. The process of studying for a major medical exam while balancing work and life was a lot! It felt like God was allowing me to face this topic of sickness and disease head on (again), while also challenging my faith.

I truly believe that God can choose to and still does heal people supernaturally (I’ve seen it with my own eyes). There is much power in the fervent prayer of a righteous man (James 5:17-18). However, I also believe that 1. We have a role to play in our own healing through healthy living and 2. The health care team (including doctors, nurses, nutritionists, physiotherapists, counselors etc.)  has a role to play in getting you/ your loved ones to good health. Can I get an amen?

The Biblical Perspective

Let’s look at James 2: 14-26 . If you can, please read through it in its entirety but I’m going to put verse 26 here. It says, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also is faith dead without good works.” (NLT)

Now this scripture can be applied to many different scenarios in life, but God brought it back to my mind as I sat down to write this blog. I believe this scripture highlights the importance of putting our faith into action; doing the work necessary to see a particular outcome that we are hoping and believing for. Faith without putting in the work is dead. However, this “faith + works” could look different for everyone.

For Abraham, his “faith + works” looked like being obedient to God to sacrifice his son, believing He would raise him from the dead. For Rahab her “faith + works” looked like her protecting the men of God, believing that God too would protect her family. My “faith + works” may look like changing my diet and exercising while declaring scriptures over my mind and body, believing God to heal me completely. Whereas, your “faith + works” may look like going to your quarterly doctor check-ups, implementing healthy habits while going to monthly healing and deliverance prayer meetings and believing for your healing.

What does your “faith + works” look like?

Forgive me if I ruffle a few feathers but how many of us are blaming genetics and stress for non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes that can be resolved/improved through exercise, a healthy balanced diet and removal of certain risk factors from our lives? Have we become lazy and deceived ourselves that we are living by faith and not by sight while eating and drinking ourselves sick?

Perhaps maybe you have an incurable disease (according to medical science), are you are operating in denial and not taking the medication advised or attending your regular check-ups? Could you possibly believe for your supernatural healing while following the doctors’ orders? 

Maybe, you really have been following all the doctors’ orders and you are trying your best to live a healthy lifestyle, but nothing is improving, have you sought the Lord for his guidance; what is He saying in all of this? These are some tough questions we must ask ourselves and be real with ourselves about.

Selah…

The Conclusion of the Matter

This intersection of my faith and medicine has challenged me to see the bigger picture, to see things from a different perspective. It has challenged me to be specific in my prayers and be strategic about how I approach different patients. I truly believe now that science and medicine have a role to play in faith and vice versa.

I’m grateful that God has called me to this profession, even though it’s been grueling and heart-breaking at times. I’m grateful for the lives he has allowed me to bless and vice versa for the people I’ve encountered who have blessed me. When my mother was sick, God was able to guide me concerning the investigations to be done, the specialists to see her and when she needed emergency surgery, God’s favour and presence was with her in the hospital and during recovery. This is just one of the few examples from my life.

God has been truly faithful in my personal journey to healing as well as for some friends and family but I’ve also had some loss along the way. Through it all, my experiences and my faith have produced a passion within me to be an advocate for holistic healthy living, to encourage you to take care of your mind, body, soul, and spirit. So here I am reminding you (and myself), you only have one body and one life to live, so put your faith into action and take care of you! For anyone reading this, I pray and declare complete healing over your mind, body and spirit, in Jesus name.

Yours truly,

Dr. Esther Trotman (a.k.a Star)

P.S. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic. Comment below!