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SICKNESS AND HEALING
God heals. Period! The Bible says it and I believe it. However, not all people are healed. That’s puzzling and, even more puzzling, is the fact that some people are miraculously healed of some conditions and still remain sick with others. I’m one of them. Why? Well, I’ve heard many preachers and teachers, I’ve read many books, and I’ve spoken to many doctors---even Christian doctors expound on the subject. Here is the educated conclusion I have come to: I DON’T KNOW WHY. I may never know.
No matter how “healed” we are, one day, we (or at least our bodies) are going to die. You can be healed of cancer, AIDS, heart condition—you can even be raised from the dead---but still, one day, you are going to die. Therefore, no healing is going to keep you alive forever this side of Glory.
We are not yet living in our glorified bodies. That’s some of the best news I’ve ever heard. I sure wouldn’t want to be stuck with THIS for all eternity. And, really, I don’t care how gorgeous, strong, or physically fit you are, you still are decaying day by day. To be blunt, you all have bodily functions you’d rather not have to deal with. I’m not going to list them, but I’m sure you catch the drift of what I’M SAYING. We won’t have to deal with these things in our glorified bodies. Our eternal bodies are going to be a lot better than the ones we have now. I am sooooo glad.
Still, we are living in the here and now and we are serving God within these mortal bodies. It is a lot easier to serve Him when we are in good health---when we’re not in constant pain and exhausted all the time. It’s easier to serve Him when our bodies are whole and we’re not missing any parts. Right?
Well, yes, for the most part. But there are times when God uses affliction to accomplish His purpose. Oops, did I lose you there? Please bear with me. If we never suffer, how can we minister to a world of suffering people? How can we understand them? Even Jesus suffered and was “tempted in all things, yet without sin” so He could be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
Also, there are times when affliction brings us closer to God. I am not saying that God puts diseases on us to bring us closer to Him. What I am saying is that God allows it and will use it in our lives to accomplish a purpose. King David said “It was good for me to be afflicted. Before I was afflicted, I went astray.” Have you ever had that experience? I have. During the time I have been ill I have, by necessity, been totally dependent on God every minute of every day. Actually, we all are; we just aren’t always aware of it until we’re sick, hurt, broke, or in trouble. During my time of being “shut-in” with God, He has revealed so many things to me, exposed so may areas of my character that I was previously blind to, and spoken Words to me that I never would have stayed still long enough to hear when I was well. I can honestly say “it was good for me to be afflicted”. Even though I hated it, I valued it. I still do.
I and many others who are sick and shut-in serve God in many ways that we never would have if we were well. In my case, when I was well I was always running around “doing the work of the ministry” without ceasing. Unfortunately, in my ministry for God, I sometimes forgot my worship of the God of the ministry. I also thought that ministry had to be “front and center”. God had other things He wanted me to do; things that took a lot of time and patience and were accomplished behind the scenes. God took me from the starring role to the supporting cast and more and more, to working behind the scenes. I discovered that (much to my surprise) that’s where my heart is. I love doing it. I also discovered web design and management and, through that, I can reach out to the whole world. Amazing isn’t it.
So, if you are sick or disabled, don’t think that your ministry is over or that your whole future depends on being healed. You never know what God has for you that you might not even have been aware of before. But that doesn’t mean that healing can’t be yours.
I still believe in healing and that is my desire. I still pray to be healed. I still hope for the healing. I will serve and trust God while I am sick and I will let Him show me new ways to serve Him. But I will never stop believing and standing on God’s healing scriptures. You shouldn’t either. Just don’t put your life on hold while you wait.
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GOD HAS GOOD PLANS FOR YOUR FUTURE
know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out-- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.
Jeremiah 29:11 (Message Bible) |
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