February 2008: Are You A Spiritual Hypochondriac?

Firstly, it might help to define just what a hypochondriac is: someone who believes in a non-existent illness; someone who is preoccupied with and anxious regarding their health. Individuals are classed as hypochondriacs if this anxiety has lasted for 6 months or more.

The hypochondriac is someone who believes there is something wrong with them. They always have a reason (or excuse?) for not accomplishing things in their day-to-day life because of their “illness”. This person is preoccupied with their health and although the medical field have grown to accept this condition as a very real illness, it remains difficult to treat. Doctors have been known to keep on referring patients to other doctors for fear of being accused of not ordering the right test in a court of law. The hypochondriac’s problem is not so much a physical problem but one of anxiety ABOUT their health. Simple enough one may think. However…the hypochondriac is resistant to reassurance! They are convinced that even the mildest feeling of something unusual means the worst of all possible ailments. In the past, hypochondriacs have been known to receive a placebo treatment also known as a “sugar pill” which was meant to convince the hypochondriac they were receiving treatment helping them to believe that at least something was being done about their illness.

So, how could this relate to us as believers and disciples of Jesus Christ?

Well, have you ever been in the position where you just KNEW that God was leading you to do something at a particular time in a particular way but you felt you just needed “something extra” in order to get the job done? You felt you needed a particular person or type of person to work with you? Maybe you believed you needed another qualification; someone else’s validation; more time; more money; approval from your family; a special word of confirmation from the prophet; more ‘anointing’ before you could just obey God and succeed in following His instruction.

Can you recognise any times when you have been “resistant to reassurance” from the Word of God…? Instead, anxiety filled your being and anything, well, almost anything, would have pacified you. You wanted a placebo of some sort. Hmmm…

Over this last beautiful year, I can see now that sometimes I placed myself in this position. I very definitely said “yes Lord” over the assignments He gave me – BUT – I just believed that I needed that someone else, that something else before I could go on.

As time went on, the very thing or person I believed I needed to assist me turned up and I was overjoyed, encouraged and strengthened within. My placebo arrived!

Whilst thinking that I had this support, I went on in much courage; certainty and gladness of heart. However, believe you me, when it came to the crunch, again and again and again - at the times when I really needed the person, he/she was not there, nowhere to be found and the things we had agreed to be done were left undone! I felt dismayed, disappointed and, well, stuck.

How could I now go on with the project without the support? What I had not realised was that when I believed I had support I went full steam ahead, not knowing that I was literally working without the so-called support anyway. As I look back and see what God has enabled me to accomplish WITHOUT the things and people I thought I absolutely needed for the various tasks, I truly am amazed.

I came to realise that I didn’t need to put any conditions and extra clauses to God’s instructions. I was able to go forward with Him alone, trusting His guidance. It made me realise that at times I had not been trusting God as much as I would have liked to think I was. Nevertheless, thanks be to God Who always gives us the victory! (1 Cor 15:57). The placebo addiction has been exposed and dealt with since the entrance of God’s Word gives light and gives understanding to the simple. (Ps 119:130)

Many of us still need to come to a firm understanding that it really is God’s Word alone that is our anchor. Truly God waits for us that He may be gracious unto us (Isaiah 30:18) and I just love and thank Him for His patience with me during the process of learning this fundamental lesson:

There is nothing to stop me accomplishing fully what God has instructed and ordained for me. I have no need for a placebo as long as I allow my heart to be reassured continuously with the Word of God!

What about you…?

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