Faith and Modern Medicine

And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” Hezekiah 20:7

Occasionally, I’ll come across the idea that an authentic Christian must rely on faith, rather than modern medicine, for healing. The idea simply, is that God can heal and that we should rely on him to do so. To seek healing outside of God – going to the doctor – is unfaithful or disobedient. If God desires a person to be healed, he or she will be. If not, then it may have been a lack of faith or it may have simply been God’s will not to heal.

As a physician, I obviously don’t subscribe to this kind of faith, and I doubt most of you do either. When it comes to mental health however, this kind of thinking is alive and well in the church. There are many people who’re comfortable taking medications for strep throat, but not for depression. I’m not saying that strep throat and depression are the same, but I do think that I should be able to answer when someone challenges my version of faith and medicine. So, how do I explain my faith in the context of medicine? What do I think about medications for both strep throat and anxiety?

Today’s passage helps me explain my position. In the story, King Hezekiah was sick with a boil which threatened his life. To me, it sounds like he had an abscess that caused him to be septic – to get bacteria in his blood. Hezekiah prayed for healing and God heard his prayer, using the prophet Isaiah to heal him. Isaiah made a poultice of figs, which likely acted as a drawing salve to open, drain, and heal the abscess. Modern medicine endorses that topical remedies can increase blood flow to an abscess, speeding its drainage and healing. The prophet Isaiah used what knowledge he had to heal, thereby practicing medicine.

Likewise, I use what knowledge I believe God has given to man, through science, to help those who’re sick. I don’t believe that is faithless, but rather, me being obedient and responsible with the knowledge God has given me. If I were in the wilderness and I suffered a laceration that could cause me to bleed to death, I would apply pressure and I would pray. I wouldn’t stand there and bleed to death, insisting that God heal me when I know how to stop the hemorrhage. Doing so would be idiocy, which I don’t think God endorses. I am responsible to use the knowledge I have, to help myself and others. So, in the case of strep throat, I prescribe antibiotics. To refuse to do so, would be disobedient.

What about mental health, specifically anxiety and depression? There are those who believe that anxiety is a sin and so, to take medications for it, is faithless. Both Paul and Jesus however, suffered symptoms that we’d call anxiety. To feel anxious cannot be wrong. How we respond to it however, can be quite healthy or unhealthy. On the one end of the spectrum, it is profoundly unhealthy to drink alcohol for anxiety. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s also unhealthy to simply rely on a pill, doing nothing to address any possible causes behind the anxiety.

I do believe that a healthy response to anxiety involves prayer – Going to God, asking what we must do in response, and then being obedient. That will often mean making radical life changes, going to counseling, and even taking medications. God has given us knowledge, through science, to make these medications and they can be helpful. Studies however, have shown that prayer, regular exercise, and counseling are tremendously helpful as well. A wise person then, would employ all four modalities – prayer, exercise, counseling, and medications – if the condition was serious to warrant it. To not do so, may well be disobedient. I may not necessarily be responsible for my depression, but I am responsible for how I respond to it.

As a physician, I believe God has given us knowledge and that we’re to use that knowledge to help those around us. It isn’t faithless to employ that knowledge and in fact, it is likely a sin to refuse to employ that knowledge. Isaiah practiced medicine and to refuse to do so, would have been disobedient to God’s plan. God gave us medicine. It is up to us to use it wisely.