Stop and Listen

I hear God’s voice in the voices of my patients, thinking about Hebrews 3:7 today.

One afternoon, a teenager came to the clinic with his mother for an emergency visit. The teen had a facial swelling and pain in a tooth. My dental assistant took some radiographs, asked the patient and his mother more details about the tooth pain and infection, and got him ready to be seen for an evaluation.

As I usually do, I reviewed the patient’s symptoms and the mom’s concerns. I took a look at his tooth and the swollen area. The dental diagnosis was straightforward and could be treated with antibiotics.

But then I asked the teen more about how he was feeling. How was he handling the shelter-in-place? What was it like doing school online? Was he able to spend time with his friends virtually? He answered in a polite, yet reserved way, but his eyes filled with tears.

He told me that he had been hearing voices, sometimes forgot where he was or that his mind suddenly went blank, and was afraid he was going to do something. I allowed him the space to talk about what he was feeling.

I also spoke with his mom, and she said that she was concerned with how her son was doing but did not know where to go for help. She had tried to get a phone consult with a specialist, but had been having difficulties.

I was worried about this young man, and I knew that God had led me to be his dentist that day. Not because I could provide treatment outside the tooth infection, but because I would listen to his and his mother’s other concerns. I arranged for a hospital in-patient evaluation and followed up closely with his pediatrician.

Something told me that day not to rush through the visit, quickly scribble a prescription, and move on to the next patient. Sometimes I do rush and do not give my patients enough of my time. But I hope that I call upon the Holy Spirit at the start of each work day to hear His voice in my patients and not harden my heart.

Call upon the Holy Spirit at the start of each day. // @Substance_SoulClick to tweet

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Ask the Holy Spirit for a softening of your heart today.