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Some thoughts on sickness. . .

Yesterday I was home sick.  It was nothing serious, but it got me thinking about the whole issue of sickness and particularly God's purpose in sickness.  This is by no means an exhaustive treatment, but here are a few purposes I see biblically.

1.  Sickness reminds us that sin has consequences.  I am not talking about god using each and every sickness in our life to punish us for some evil we have done.  Yet, there would be no sickness if were not for sin.  I believe that all sickness has its root in humanity's fall in the Garden.  Hence, all sickness is a subtle reminder that we desperately need reconciliation to a Holy God.

2.  Sickness can be discipline.  I want to be very careful here. The Bible clearly teaches that not all sickness is discipline from God.  Job was not being disciplined in his sickness.  Jesus says that neither the man blind from birth nor his parents were responsible for his ailment (John 9:1-3).  However, I think that the predisposition of Christians today is to automatically assume that their sickness is not discipline from God.  Hebrews 12 clearly teaches that the Lord disciplines those He loves.

3.  Sickness teaches us to depend on God.  I don't pretend to know what Paul's thorn in the flesh was in 2 Corinthians 12:7, but I am confident that sickness qualifies under the category of thorn in the flesh.  Paul's thorn was for the purpose of teaching him that God's grace was sufficient for his adversity.  Perhaps our sickness is designed to teach us to rely on God as well.

4.  Sickness makes us long for Heaven.  Aren't you sick of it?  As a pastor, I have come to detest the word "Cancer."  The very taste of it on my lips makes me want to vomit.  I have seen what it does to our dear people, and I hate it.  I really look forward to the day promised in Revelation.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Rev 21:4 ESV)


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