The Doctor Knows Best

The Doctor knows best.  Of course this does not mean that doctors are infallible and perfect, and that they can’t make mistakes.  But generally speaking our doctor knows what medicine to prescribe for our ailments.  I’m not talking about just any doctor out there, but the doctor who knows us, who has been checking us ever since.  Just like my doctor for my allergies – my asthma more specifically.  After all the tests and frequent visits I have made to her office because of my asthma she prescribed to me an inhaler that has practically solved my asthma problems – as long, of course, as I take it as prescribed.

Recently I ran out of that specific inhaler.  I was hesitant to buy a new one because of it’s price – very expensive.  It just so happened that a friend of mine had given me a free sample of another inhaler similar to what I was taking, but not exactly the same.  So I asked my doctor if I could take it instead, since I already had it with me.  My doctor told me that it wasn’t exactly the same dosage and medicine she prescribed, and that I should buy the usual one that she prescribed.

Well, as hard headed as I am (and cheap!  hehe) I decided to still use the free sample I had since, first of all, it was free!  And secondly, it might just work.  I tried it for a few days, but sadly it did not sustain my asthma, and I slowly started to “wheeze” and cough again.  So, eventually I ended up buying my usual doctor-prescribed inhaler.  And after just one puff my wheezing was gone!  I should have listened to my doctor from the beginning.  In this case the saying is true - “the doctor knows best”.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

We do that with the Lord, too, don’t we?  Those of us who walk with God, know Him as our Savior and Lord, and who have made Him our Shepherd, know that God knows best.  He is always after our good.  All the commands, the standards of righteousness that He sets for us, are all the best for us, they’re all for our good.  Our hearts know that.  But sometimes we face life’s situations and problems with our own understanding, instead of following our Great Physician’s advice (of course God’s commands are not just “advice”, but commands meant to be obeyed).

And so what happens?  When a child of God disobeys God, and tries to do things his/her way, it just won’t work.  We have been transferred to the kingdom of light.  Dealing with things in the ways of the world, or with our flesh, just won’t do it.  We have to accomplish things in this life according to the ways of God’s kingdom, according to His ways, not ours.

This is why we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart.  When He says humble ourselves, we should do exactly that.  When He says forgive, we should forgive.  When He says walk in righteousness, we walk in righteousness.  In all our ways we are to acknowledge Him, and His ways, so that our paths may be straight.

Though we may not understand, His ways are still the best.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.