The Heart of the Matter 

The purpose of health ministry sometimes seems vaguely like today’s medical field—to encourage health and healing.

“I love to smoke.”

Mr. Gregory* announced, “Doc, I know you have to tell me to stop smoking, and it is ok. But I’ll tell you again, I love to smoke, and nothing that you or my family can say will change my mind.” The only part of his statement that somewhat surprised me each time he said this was that he “loved” to smoke.  He had stated this at each of his prior annual physicals. Mr. Gregory continued, “I know you must advise me to quit smoking at my physical. I’m ok with it. You may proceed.”

A wry smile accompanied the inviting motion of his hand giving me permission to, what I felt like, spout off in some strange game of health “truth or dare,” the health risks of smoking. To be fair, Mr. Gregory seemed to listen to my short presentation addressing his only known health vice.  He did not roll his eyes, as many patients do, when I ask about daily water intake and exercise frequency. After suggesting ways to quit smoking, he would then say something like, “Thanks, Doc – I got it…. but I’m not going to quit.” The appointment would end with Mr. Gregory exiting and me, with a sigh, anticipating a similar interaction next year.

Human non-adherence tendency

A recent article in Nature, published March 27, 2023, concluded that “Poor medication adherence is a pervasive issue with considerable health and socioeconomic consequences.” Estimates of “non-adherence are around 50 percent for chronic illnesses. In the United States alone, poor adherence is responsible for an estimated 125,000 deaths per year, a figure comparable with the number of deaths caused by colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined.” Reasons cited were “patient forgetfulness, anxiety about treatment-associated adverse effects, low motivation due to a perceived lack of efficacy, poor health literacy and aversion to the health belief model, and stigmatization. Other factors that may play a role include high prescription costs and insufficient patient-provider communication.”[i] Sadly, prior educational and motivational approaches have proven rather ineffective. Promising suggested solutions included reducing required daily medication dosing, simpler delivery systems, and combining doses (such as a multi-vaccine containing once yearly injection).

In Mr. Gregory’s smoking habit, the statistics are slowly improving in the United States, but not in his age group (persons over 40 years old). We will have to wait for the lower rates in the under-40 group to improve nationwide statistics on this, likely because culturally, smoking is not so “cool” anymore and the cost of cigarettes has only gone up. In 2022, a little over half of smoking Americans report attempting to quit, with only an 8.8 percent success rate.

Hope for Mr. Gregory

The last time I saw Mr. Gregory was at an appointment to address smoking cessation. I entered the exam room surprised and shocked. I greeted him and confirmed that he wanted to quit smoking. He nodded. I sat and leaned forward in hopeful anticipation. He related that he had attended a recent family wedding. His grandson (I estimate about 5-6 years old) sat on his lap. As they witnessed the happy wedding reception together, Mr. Gregory said, “My grandson asked me if I would attend his own wedding. Of course, I said, ‘I would not miss it for the world!’” His grandson immediately turned and stated, “Then you had better stop smoking, ‘cause if you don’t, you will die before I get married.”

Through slightly watery eyes, he looked at me, pointed at his heart, and said, “I don’t know what it was, but what he said hit me right here.” He paused then said, “And since we discuss this every year, I figure you can help me quit.” We proceeded to strategize his smoking cessation plan. Inwardly, I realized Mr. Gregory’s 180-degree change was not health risks I had previously relayed to him, nor was it his family’s urging. The key to his change of heart was the love relationship with his grandson. No study revealed those odds for Mr. Gregory.

Health ministry solution

The purpose of health ministry sometimes seems vaguely like today’s medical field—to encourage health and healing.  Beyond that, they are quite different. Studies suggest that human nature will adhere to medication regimens when dosing is less frequent. In contrast, health ministry usually encourages more frequent “doses” of lifestyle-improving modalities and engagement with Jesus. Health ministers pray for divinely promised transformation, both in body and soul: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). 1 Thessalonians 5:17 advises us to “Pray without ceasing.” This is not a quick one pill a week, but somewhat akin to walking around with an IV infusion of the Holy Spirit everywhere we go. How on earth will our neighbors adhere to such a regimen? Certainly not by any earthly means.

The heart of the matter

“When Christ abides in the heart, the whole nature is transformed. Christ’s Spirit, His love, softens the heart, subdues the soul, and raises the thoughts and desires toward God and heaven.”[ii]

Not every church member is a health professional, but EVERY member can be a health minister to introduce and convey Christ’s true healing and saving regimen for each of us. As we ask the Holy Spirit to influence our own personal barriers and motivations, praying that He would “hit me right here” in our own heart, it will be His restoration journey that will cause us to not only feel better and think clearer, not only leave condemning and criticizing attitudes behind, but to become better equipped to be more like Jesus. We’ll be better able to love others as He does; better able to teach, preach, and heal others as He did; better able to form Holy Spirit-led relationships with others to show them Christ’s love for each of us—the love that proclaims, “I love you so much that I would offer my life for yours.” (See John 3:16).  When others glimpse Christ’s self-sacrificial and overwhelming love in us, the Holy Spirit will cut through all barriers. Surrender and adherence to Jesus’ saving love will be the most obvious choice.

*Pseudonym