If you haven’t done it yet, I encourage you to read my testimony: Freed from medical idolatry
“If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”
Exodus 15:26
Medical idolatry in 4 questions
1) What is idolatry?
According to Tim Keller an idol is “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”.
In addition, I would say that idolatry is not giving the first place and the honour to God and not to letting Him fight for us or to seeking safety elsewhere than in Him.
God is the King of Kings, Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord who provides), Jehovah-Rapha (the Lord who heals) and He doesn’t share these titles.
The God of the Bible is not a god who follows our choices and decisions, He is the one who takes the lead and shows us the way to go.
2) What idols can we find in the medical field?
There are many of them, such as:
a) Seeking health or better health can sometimes become an obsession or an idol.
b) Medication: to think that (almost) anything can be solved with pills.
c) Doctors: to go and see the doctor for anything, to follow their advice without ever questioning it or placing our trust in them before God.
3) How does modern science and consumerism lead us to idolatry?
We live in a society where money is king. It’s all about selling and making profit. The more money you get, the more powerful you become and the more you can impose a way of thinking and a way of living.
Every day, we are told that we can have happiness through buying things and that new technologies have been developed for our good. Manufacturers do their best to make idols of our hearts, so that we treasure our purchases and buy again.
Therefore, idolatry in terms of health can often be:
a) Thinking that science has an answer to everything and that the latest medical advances are always better than what has always existed (i.e what is natural).
b) Thinking that in order to treat our health issues we need to consume more, whilst in actual fact consuming less or differently could be the right solution or simply to allow the body to repair itself.
4) Why is the medical field particularly at risk?
There are several reasons for this.
a) Seeking healing always involves a certain level of faith in something.
b) Our lifestyle in general is unhealthy.
We eat unhealthily, don’t do enough physical exercise, are stressed, spend too much time inside, consume too much medication… The result is that many of us are ill (obesity, depression, diabetes, autoimmune diseases etc.).
The food lobbies do everything they can to make us consume more, especially unhealthy products that give us poor health and lead to addiction.
c) The medical field is particularly affected by consumerism.
Whether it is pharmaceutical or natural, the medical sphere is a very lucrative one. We must therefore be extremely careful before buying and look beyond first appearances.
Doctor’s prescriptions are also a great way for manufacturers to make us consume more.
5 signs of medical idolatry
5 signs that indicate a risk of idolatry.
1) Thinking that my faith has nothing to do with the way I look after my health and that of my children.
2) Letting my fears and emotions guide me in the decisions I make; not trusting in God when it comes to my health.
3) Not praying or asking for discernment before making medical decisions.
4) Neglecting my health, especially for the pursuit of pleasure; to eat, consume and live without questioning myself about the future consequences this could have on my health and believing that modern medicine means I don’t have to worry about these things
5) Allowing myself to remain ignorant about health but to idealise modern science and thinking that medicine is necessary for recovery.
Our body is an amazing machine and has ways of healing itself. Some common natural products are often enough to help us get better.
6 principles to help protect ourselves from idolatry
1) Trust God no matter what the situation is or the doctor’s diagnosis says.
2) Recognize that God has given us the responsibility for our own health and that of our children, no one else.
3) Learn to listen to our body and look after it. Recognise that it is a wonderful machine.
4) Realize that our way of life is often the cause of our diseases (and not bad luck) and that a God-centred life protects us (to a certain extent).
Practise prayer, gratitude, worship, detach ourselves from the worries of this world and turn to Him alone…
5) Do not always follow the path which seems the most “secure“. Be ready to trust God.
Doctors always imagine the worst (for some reasons that I can understand), so it is often wiser to follow our common sense. The consumption of unnecessary drugs is dangerous for our health.
6) Learn about natural medicine because it comes from God directly.
Learn about fasting, healthy diets, the power of plants, clay…
Natural medicine obviously does not include charlatanism and occult practices.
Conclusion
We live in an idolatrous, fallen world which hates God. The medical field is no exception.
Not everything in it is absolutely bad, but nothing is absolutely good.
Always put God first in your heart and mind as well as in the way you look after your health.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
Proverbs 3:6-8
Feel free to send me your questions, I will answer in a future article.
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