More Thoughts on Illness

March 13, 2010

All week I have been sharing some thoughts on human suffering. Some of my readers have contributed wonderful thoughts both here in comments or on FaceBook. Let me offer one more post on some of the possible causes of human illness and suffering.

Most people have no problem accepting that something is terribly wrong in the cosmos. Wars, evil, horrible sickness, poverty, injustice, pain and suffering surround us. Even Nature is convulsed by earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fire and flood. Why is this? Why would God allow this?

The short answer is sin. Not necessarily your sins or mine, but the sin of human kind, the consequence of disobedience to God’s truth. Perhaps the most succinct statement of this is in Romans 8:22 where the Apostle Paul says that all creation is groaning and suffering together waiting for God’s final redemption and the restoration of of all things.

Why wait? 2Peter 3 addresses this issue saying that God’s long-suffering is meant to give us opportunity to repent, change, by responding to his gracious offer of transformation based on death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is all good theology, but how does this help us when we or our loved ones are suffering devastating illness?

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14-15)

Many focus on the anointing of oil as though there were some mysterious power in a ceremony. The word James uses for anoint, however, is one not normally used in ceremonial sense, but in practical application. Oils were a vital part of medicine in the first century, and it seems James speaks of making use of the best of medical science. Notice he then says it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick, not a ceremonial application of oil. There is nothing wrong, though, with a ceremonial application of oil accompanied by prayer as a symbolic reminder of the power of God’s Spirit, something I have done many times.

Here are six brief reasons I can come up with for God’s purposes in our illness. I don’t claim to have all the answers and sometimes it may be a combination of reasons, some of which we may never fully understand.

Violation of natural law. Poor eating choices, for example, can wreak havoc on the human body.
Sin. Sometimes illness might be the direct consequence of sinful disobedience (Exodus 15:26).
Satanic attack. This is what Job experienced within the sovereignty and determined parameters of God (Job 2:7). This opens an area that often extends far beyond our comprehension. Other examples: Matthew 9:32; 12:22; Luke 9:37-41; 11:14; 13:11-16
As an instrument of God’s love and purposes in our lives. Paul’s thorn in the flesh is one such example (2Corinthians 12:7).
To bring glory to God, as in the case of the blind man in John 9:1-3
To get those he loves to Heaven (Psalm 116:15).

These reasons have been a comfort to me through the years. I have learned, though, that we will never reduce God to a formula or “figure him out.” Ultimately, we love him because he first loved us (1John 4:19). This is the foundation of our trust in him despite adverse circumstances.

T.A. Shields

Man oh man!
“hence problems are often God’s way to draw us to him”

Something I have been thoughtful about is that, at times, we all need to experience his grace, and know that he is every bit the powerful, caring God we read faithfully about in the Bible.
Rich Tackkett

We had a great aunt who was in a nursing home for years…bedridden and unresponsive … one of 13 brothers and sisters…all believers and faithful. It was during this time an observer of the faithfulness of the family to do what they could to minister to and comfort their sister commented, “I have never before seen such love demonstrated to another individual.”l

What would appear to be a hopeless situation, an untenable situation was seen by someone as a demonstration of God’s love. What do our lives demonstrate to others in the face of apparently hopeless situations???

Have you commented on the Corithians passages conderning illness and death among believrs who have partaken of the Lords supper unworthily??? If not, would you?

http://www.kcbt.org Jeff Adams

Thanks, Rich! I have certainly commented on the Corinthians passage many times, whether here or elsewhere. Maybe one of these days I’ll get around to doing that again here. Thanks for the input.

Monica

Hi Pastor Jeff. Thank you for your posting about Zac and the follow-up postings as well. A few thoughts to interject: We can pray to the Lord when we’re healthy too, and thank Him for it. Sometimes I tend to think that what “I’m doing” is keeping me healthy, but truthfully, it’s only because if His grace. Recently, I was given the opportunity to pray with an patient who came to see us in clinic (my first such experience, and very unexpected!). As I went thought the interview, I learned she was Messianic Jewish-Spanish. She had a very interesting story. In short, we prayed for her continued health and also for her chronic health issues. This lovely 60+ year old lady couldn’t stop giving Jesus (Yeshua) praise throughout our prayer–He certainly deserves every bit of it!

http://www.kcbt.org Jeff Adams

What a great thought, Monica! Thank you so much for that. You are absolutely right. It is only by God’s grace we are healthy. This makes the point that we tend only to seek him out when we have a problem – hence problems are often God’s way to draw us to him. I think of when the disciples were overwhelmed with a storm and wondered where Jesus was. He was down below asleep! But, no one had worried about where he was or missed him until the storm hit.

Vicki

Jeff,
I told you about my sisters sufferings during her husband’s bout with cancer and his eventual death. I didn’t mention that I am living wtih an illness of my own. I think myself lucky that I have achieved the level of health that I have when many suggested I would never improve. Along my journey with a chronic illness and the eventual pairing of me with a God fearing doctor I have learned that my health, improvements, set-backs, all of it, isn’t just about me. Sometimes it’s about me and my walk and my relationship and some of it is about whatever God is working out in my doctor. Often I remind him that he isn’t failing God by failing to heal me, as he some times feels…. I’ve got my own thing with God going on an God may simply not be ready to let me have full health. He has his own thing with God going on, his own relationship with God and me being in his life is part of that. So, together, we have to leave room for God to be working in both of our lives and not accept too much responsibility for the improvements, which he easily credits God for, or too much credit for the failings, which he easily credits himself for… interesting, huh? It’s harder to accept that he may be allowing the failings. That the failings may be for His glory.

I think that I could claim almost all of your reasons for the chronic illness I have and much of it has lead to incredible growth and understanding. Sometimes I forget and then depression has a place to grow… but when I remember I am but a vessel and he may do with this vessel anything he wants, then there is always hope. There is only one I could credit if I should be healed. How I pray God would choose to heal me to bring Glory to Himself. I now ask myself, how am I hindering God from being glorified…. I think that I am.

Thank you for your continued analysis of this issue… giving me pause to analize it myself.

http://www.kcbt.org Jeff Adams

Thanks for sharing such personal insight, Vicki, and for a wonderfully refreshing perspective!

Jeff Adams

More Thoughts on Illness