A Prayer for Peace during Health Challenges
By Heidi Vegh
Bible Reading
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” - 3 John 1:2
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It is not easy when our frail, mortal bodies start to fail. We are often left hurting and confused as to why God doesn’t just take it away. After all, the Bible does tell us that a healthy mind and a healthy body are important. I have had health issues. I have experienced pain in my body with no answers. I have suffered from anxiety and digestive issues that leave the doctors stumped. I have learned over many years of dealing with grief that the mind and body are more connected than we think.
It is disheartening to feel like our bodies are failing us while the person next to us is thriving in their health. It doesn’t seem fair, and it can leave us bitter and angry. When we start to face negative emotions surrounding our health, we can always lean on the one who understands it all. God created our intricate bodies to function a certain way, but in our fallen, toxic world, some of us can feel the physical repercussions threatening to take our joy and even our lives. When I face unwanted health issues, it helps me to remember that our bodies are only temporary. They house our spirit for just a short time, and although it may seem morbid to think past this life, God does want us to live with an eternal perspective. We are not meant to live forever, at one time or another, our body will give out on us whether it be from sickness, injury, or old age. We will not live forever.
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If you are facing health challenges, sit with Jesus. Allow His presence to comfort you. Soak in all the knowledge that you are promised a perfect new body in heaven, and allow it to bring you peace.
"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands." - 2 Corinthians 5:1
We all want to be healthy here on earth, but God promises that even though we may want all the health and stamina, He can give us a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7). So today, if you are feeling sick, if your body isn’t cooperating and you wish more than anything that you could have a new body, allow Jesus to give you his eternal perspective. Ask Him to give you the courage and strength to be all and do all that he wants you to do here on earth. Each morning, when you wake up and take a deep breath, remember to trust that God has a plan for you. He has a reason for your life, and despite the pain and difficulty, He can work all things for His good (Romans 8:28).
We know that God is a God who heals. However, we also know that He does not heal everyone. Some people experience miraculous healing, and others pass on too young. We don’t understand this side of heaven, but we can still trust that God is in control, that God sees us, and that He is always with us.
Let’s Pray:
God. I struggle with my body. I am scared of what the future holds, and I want so desperately to be rid of my ailment. God, please help me to have an eternal perspective. Help me to look at my life and my circumstances through your eyes. Help me to know and believe that you are good, even if my body is not. You are good, even though our world is full of disease, disappointment, and death. I want to believe that with everything I am. Please show me good amid my pain. Use me to comfort others who are suffering physically, and help me show them that with Jesus, we can live abundant lives no matter what.
Please bring my heart comfort as I grapple with the unfairness of my health challenges while those around me don’t have physical suffering. Please help me to be joyful for them. Help me not to compare myself to others but show me all the blessings and goodness in my life despite my sickness. Thank you for your deep, never-ending love for me. Thank you that I don’t have to go through this alone. Ultimately, Lord, I pray for my healing. I trust your plan for my life, but I petition you to touch me with your hand of healing and take away my pain. Jesus healed people when He was on earth. Please heal me, Lord. But if that is not in your will, I will continue to trust you and praise you all the days of my life.
In your precious name, Jesus, we pray, amen.
Heidi Vegh is a writer, speaker, and ministry leader living in Western Washington. She is a remarried mother of four, navigating the blended family life after the loss of her first husband to cancer in 2013. She longs to use her writing as a way to encourage others who have experienced loss and guide them on the road to healing. She contributes to her blog found at www.mrsheidivegh.com , sharing stories and devotionals of faith stemming from her loss and healing, mothering, and her blended and complex family. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Creative Writing and English and is working on her first book. Heidi is the Women’s Ministry Director at her local church and has a deep heart for sharing Jesus with women and encouraging them in their faith walk. When she is not writing, she loves to travel, read, craft, and experiment in the kitchen. Visit her Facebook and Instagram (@mrsheidivegh) to learn more.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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