I once took a class from a renowned Christian scholar and professor of clinical psychology at Michigan State University who decided he wanted to share with us his professional opinion of Dr. Phil. The famous TV psychologist was well known to all in the class so we perked up to hear his take. "I don't care too much for Dr. Phil's show," he started out, "but there is one technique that he uses that I think is very helpful." He went on to explain that often people are so entrenched in unhealthy behaviors that they are unwilling to be reasoned with, which is often the case with Dr. Phil's guests. So in those cases Dr. Phil simply confronts the unproductive behavior by asking the question, "So how's that working for you?" My professor went on to add that until that entrenched individual sees the results of their behavior they will continue to defend it. This is why, he concluded, that Dr. Phil's question is so effective. It forces the person to look at where their actions have taken them.
Which brings me to the case of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. The famous 19th century German philosopher is best known for his emphatic declaration, "God is dead." And while some may argue that his intent was not to promote the virtues of militant atheism, it is plainly evident that his relationship towards religion and all things theistic was antagonistic to say the least.
So how does Nietzsche's life stack up to the Dr. Phil test? If religion is so bad and Friedrich Wilhelm was on the right track then he must have experienced a wonderful and satisfying life beyond what lowly Christians experience, right? After all he held a position of great respect and prestige being the youngest man ever to be appointed to the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel. He had everything going for him. The truth, however, is sadly quite the opposite. Nietzsche was a troubled man. His writings were at times combative and near the end so radical that they were initially withheld by his friends from being published.
The saddest part is that in 1889 at the age of 42 he suffered a severe mental breakdown, was eventually institutionalized and would never completely recover. It is reported that he would spend weeks at a time in the complete wordless silence of his madness only interrupted by the mumbling of a verse or two from scripture. And as his mother sat by his side attending to him as best she could, tears would roll down her cheeks as she prayed that though the words were instigated by his insanity, that they would somehow pierce the darkness of his soul.
So then to say that Nietzsche's life does not pass the Dr. Phil test is a gross understatement, but those of us who are believers should not gloat in our moral superiority either. While none of us go about battling against the existence of God, I wonder whether we too haven't rejected Him in our own way? I wonder if, by our unwillingness to surrender certain parts of our lives (and you know which parts those are for you), do we too deny the efficacy of the God we say is all-powerful and all-wise? Do we too fail the Dr. Phil test in part because we live, as 2 Timothy 3:5 describes, "having a form of godliness but denying its power?"
I would ask you Dr. Phil's question on a spiritual level, "So how's that working for you?" Are you living the fullness God intended for you to have? Are you experiencing joy that the world can't take away (John 16:22), "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:6,7) and victory over besetting sin (1 John 5:4)? Sometimes the world takes away our joy because that is where we went to get it. We can only experience "life more abundantly" (John 10:10) as we lay every part of our own at the feet of Jesus. Only with full surrender will we find the life that God intends for us to have.
