Without doubt, these are the cases that try our patience and strain our office schedules. On some days he saw up to 35 people, with complaints running the gamut of physical to mental disorders. Many had exhausted the medical options of their day. The unassuming style and authenticity of the accounts make quick dismissal difficult. Primarily, Blumhardt recognized the tremendous need people have to be forgiven.
Most modern counselors see the associated guilt, rather than the wrong-doing itself, as the problem.
Blumhardt encouraged his parishioners to confess the actions that troubled them most and to make restitution wherever possible. Since reading this book, I have become more aware of the spiritual aspects of mental illness. I have noted concrete improvement in patients with mental illness who had found a sense of forgiveness by simply sharing their past wrong-doings with a trusted confidant. While many physicians may be more comfortable relegating spiritual matters to the clergy, we can't afford to trivialize or ignore the importance of spiritual issues to our patients. This book is a must-read for persons who wish to broaden their understanding of the complex interplay between medical, psychiatric and spiritual components of the human experience.