There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul
This chorus, from the African American hymn, was shared in the preface of Daniel Sulmasy’s book, A Balm for Gilead: Meditations on Spirituality and the Healing Arts. What a powerful opening message! Balms are known for their healing, soothing and protecting properties. Each of us are in need of healing, soothing and protecting. Jesus is the balm that soothes, protects and heals the sin-sick soul and, with Jesus, there is enough balm for all. The reason Sulmasy wrote this book is to address the sense of spiritual malaise found within health care professionals. Through work on one’s spiritual self, the reader can come to know both self and neighbor better and build a deeper relationship with God—find the balm in Gilead. Another aim of this book is to explore how Christian healthcare professionals can be inspired by the Gospel and persevere in their efforts to care for the sick.
Sulmasy’s description of the struggles health care professionals navigate as they persevere was so relatable. He shared,
“Health professionals have long emphasized a certain mental toughness that, although quite functional and healthy in many ways, can sometimes lead to a dysfunctional and unhealthy hardness of heart—a denial of one’s own feelings and aspirations as well as those of one’s colleagues. Thus, to admit that one was in the throes of a personal spiritual struggle would be, in many medical circles, considered a sign of weakness” (p. xiii).
Christian healing is about restoring right relationships—to making whole relationships with self, God, environment, and each other. Christian healthcare professionals find God in and through the direct encounters they have with those in need of healing. What a privilege to serve God by serving those in need! As Matthew 25 states, “I was sick and you looked after me…truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
The word patient is derived from the Latin word patiens, which means “one who suffers.” Sulmasy points out that suffering is “what remains when one’s control runs out” – to experience the limits of this earthly life. “Pain becomes suffering only in the moment when one understands how one is limited by it or when it reminds one of one’s own ultimate finitude in death” (p. 69). Healthcare professionals can remember “the suffering of patients is not a punishment for sin, but an opportunity for God’s glory to be made manifest in their midst.” (p. 73). Blaming patients or minimizing patient needs because of reason X, Y, or Z, does not reflect Jesus’ healing work of love and acceptance. Healthcare professionals can learn many lessons about faith, hope, and love from patients who are suffering, but how often are healthcare professionals blind, deaf and mute when patients need someone to see them, hear them, and speak up for them?
Healthcare professionals work with and among those who are suffering on a daily basis. Without proper care and attention to personal needs, this repeated exposure can lead healthcare professionals to avoidance as a way to protect the self from internalizing the pain and suffering of others. Healthcare professionals who know and follow Christ are called to remain present to the suffering of others and to see Christ in all patients they cared for. Sulmasy reiterates that spirituality is not an ethical dilemma to solve. Spirituality and God’s free gift of grace help open one’s eyes, ears, and hearts to God’s call for our lives. Sulmasy reminds healthcare professionals to be present in the seemingly simple and mundane moments between healthcare providers and patients, as these simple, intimate moments with patients are where healthcare professionals come face to face with the transcendent. Healthcare professionals must remember the presence of God is near as they care for each patient — never forgetting the magnitude of this privilege. Healthcare professionals can recommit to health care being an act of service and live that out by respecting personal dignity and worth, as well as showing patients kindness and love through attention and care. In a time when technology is ever present, healthcare professionals cannot forget who they are caring for—living, breathing, good, and beautiful image bearers (patients must also remember the same about their healthcare professionals).
If you are a healthcare professional or anyone who works with patients and you feel lost or uneasy in your profession, this book is for you. If you are new to working with patients or nearing retirement, this book is for you. The chapters of this book each stand to teach valuable lessons about how and why spirituality can help both the healer and the person in need of healing. As a nurse, I found this book to be practical, meaningful, and intriguing. The chapters of this book contain vital and timely information about care, justice, and purpose that is relatable, while at the same time humbling. This work gives the healthcare professional reading its pages much to ponder but also provides many examples to meditate on and apply to not only practice, but to life.
2 Responses
Thank you! This post is MOST APPROPRIATE and helpful to me today. God is amazing! Thank you!
Thank you, Nicole, Thinking back to my career as a mental health professional, I remember often feeling like I was standing on holy ground as I was present and heard patients pour out, process, protect, and persevere in spite of painful circumstances. As a therapist, I was humbled and honored to be entrusted with their deepest concerns. Healthcare professionals have daunting and important tasks as “they come face to face with the transcendent”.