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How Guilt and Religious Expectations Deepen Suffering and Block Joy
Healing begins with unlearning what we thought God wanted
I was at the hospital when I got a call from a nurse. “Will you please come see the patient in room 3070? She’s not doing well and could use a chaplain visit.” “Of course!” I said. Little did I know the impact that visit would have on me. I thought I was helping her. She taught me a lot, too.
For over an hour, I listened to her unburden all the pain and suffering she had experienced in the last few years. It was a catalog of relentless hardship — a cruel inventory of tumors, infections, and relentless pain.
It was like her body had conspired against her and invited all that disease to take up residence — and then put her through a car wreck just for extra points. She had bruises covering her body, and she ached all over.
Not to be outdone, her shoulder gave her constant pain from a torn rotary cuff, and her back had required five surgeries. To add insult to injury, her blood pressure dropped so low that she passed out frequently, effectively ruling out any chance of surgery.
Oh. And she lived alone.