Denial

One of the most awkward issues of pastoral ministry is denial: Someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, then they go into denial. But in a strange way, it is not really denial. A minister friend puts it this way: "There has to be something to deny." Here's an example. A woman was dying of cancer. She asked me to see her. She said that she had hit bottom now, with her health, and it was just a matter of time before she recovered. Then she reached for a writing pad, and asked me to take down her last wishes. OBSERVATION: In my experience, if a minister challenges denial, then he or she may be mercilessly cut off. On the other hand, if he plays along with it, then he is doing nobody a favour. I seek to sow seeds that will be of value to the person when they need it.