To Do No Harm

Nonmaleficence is a word that all Healthcare Professionals are very familiar with. We take an oath “To Do No Harm” to our patients. Yes, patient safety is always our number one priority. And one may think of physical safety, yet, there are other areas in which we keep our patients safe.

In 2017, I drove from Texas to West Virginia for my Aunt’s funeral service. After arriving late Friday night, I received a call from my Uncle to inquire if I could drive to Maryland to pick up my elderly Aunt and Uncle, who resided there. Both had Dementia but still were able to perform their activities of daily living.

Before our road trip, their youngest daughter told me I needed to stop by the pharmacy to pick up Auntie’s medication. When I spoke to the pharmacist, she informed me that my Aunt had taken 30 pills in 14 days, which accounted for running out of her medication and the increase in her Dementia. While in West Virginia, God provided His Divine Intervention. My Uncle [her husband] became alert enough to assist Auntie with taking the correct amount of pills daily.

Her daughters resolved the issue by scheduling an appointment with her Physician the same day I drove them back to Maryland. An alternate treatment plan was developed because my Aunt could no longer self-medicate. Thankfully, there was no permanent damage from the overdosage of her medication. Praise God this situation ended well.

As I thought about this situation, self-reflection was necessary. In many ways, most of us are like my elderly Aunt, who was self-reliant, believing she could self-medicate. How many times have we made decisions without praying for God’s guidance?

Self-reliance places us in harm’s way!

Even the most dedicated Christians struggle with disobedience by following the desires of our hearts. Yes, we are stubborn-hearted and self-willed, boldly pursuing and fulfilling our wish list without asking our Heavenly Father if we are in alignment with His plans. Without Divine intervention, we proceed with our plans. We start new jobs, purchase houses and vehicles, and begin relationships with individuals with hidden toxic traits.

Once we have made our purchases or found our “soul-mate,” with overt happiness, we congratulate ourselves, and tell others that God has blessed us. The irony is that we dare to pray and thank God for blessing us with our choices.

We have a loving God who promises “To do no harm” to humanity. Our Heavenly Father has made countless biblical promises to keep us safe. God promises to hold us up with His righteous right hand, send angels to protect us physically and from spiritual warfare, and be with us through trials, sickness, and sorrow. We are familiar with His promise in Jeremiah 29:11, which tells us that God has plans to give us a future and hope.

Sadly, God’s heart must be grieved that we [His children] do not trust Him enough to wait and rely on His perfect, bountiful blessings.

Christ is our example of the desire to obey God. The Four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John] record Jesus constantly praying to stay in the will of His Father. Even if we have followed our desires–possibly placing ourselves in harm’s way because of an unknown future and the changes that could produce loss, we can repent and make a covenant to trust and obey God from today forward. Love God, Trust God, and Wait on God.

Prayer: God, we pray for forgiveness for living a life based on our desires. We do not know the outcome of our disobedience, yet, we must accept the consequences. From today forward, we make a covenant vow to ask first, trust You, and wait for Your answer. Thank You for keeping us from harm. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.