None of us enjoy sickness. The pain, exhaustion, tests, treatment, and period of recovery can seem so long regardless of the actual duration of our affliction. And then there are those illnesses that have no clear beginning and end. These are the ones that linger, flaring up at times or requiring long-term treatment. Whether we have a physical or mental illness, suffering is not something any of us choose or actively seek.
Because pain is associated with sickness, some people believe that illness should not be part of a Christian’s life. They think that only those with unconfessed sin in their lives receive affliction as punishment from God. This wrong perception comes from the influence of prosperity theology, which claims that God wants us to have comfortable lives free from pain and financial concern. But is this what the Bible teaches?
We must return to a biblical view of sickness and suffering. Only then will we see the Lord’s goodness and love amid periods of illness.
Where Does Sickness Come From?
Disease. Distress. Death.
None of this was part of God’s original creation since He declared everything He made “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Only after Adam and Eve chose to disobey God did decay and disease enter the world. The Lord had warned the man that if he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, he would die (Genesis 2:17).
Because of Adam and Eve’s choice, sin corrupted God’s good creation. Spiritual and physical death entered the world (1 Corinthians 15:22). We are all gradually decaying and will one day return to the dust from which we were created (Genesis 3:19).
Living in a fallen, sin-diseased world is the reason there is sickness. Although some Christians believe that illness is always the direct result of personal sin in a person’s life, the Bible shows us a different picture. Individuals do not catch viruses or develop cancer because they are more wicked than others. We are all sinners, and sometimes our choices have immediate consequences. Yet, sickness is not a sign of judgment or personal failing. We develop illnesses because sin has brought brokenness into our world.
Creation is afflicted with decay today, but it will not always be this way. Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins. The redemption He died to give affects us and all creation. In the cross and empty tomb, we find the answer to our pain and sickness because we have the assurance that our fallen world will be restored.
God will make all things new in the future (Revelation 21:5). There will no longer be any death or pain in the New Heaven and New Earth (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:4). Instead, people will live forever with the Lord without fear of illness or suffering.
Biblical Examples of People Who Suffered from Illness
Scripture includes multiple stories of people who experienced illness, though not always due to the reasons we assume. There are examples of people who were afflicted by God as part of the judgment (see Numbers 12:4-10; 2 Chronicles 21:12-15, 18-19; Acts 12:23). This seems to be the exception rather than the rule. The Old Testament and New Testament show us that people suffered from disease and ailment, but not because of personal sin.
When Job was afflicted with painful sores that covered his body, the illness came from Satan (Job 2:4-7). Job had not sinned or brought judgment on himself. The reason Satan wanted to afflict Job was to try to make him curse God and thus prove God wrong (Job 2:3-4). Although Job suffered as he scratched himself with broken pottery and sat in ashes, he refused to curse the Lord. As he said, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10, NIV).
Elisha also experienced sickness. He developed an illness that eventually took his life (2 Kings 13:14). As a prophet of the Lord, he had served God and walked with Him. We cannot blame personal sin as the cause of his illness. Rather, he died because he contracted a sickness from which he never recovered.
In the New Testament, we read about many Christians who suffered from sickness and ailments. Timothy struggled with stomach problems, prompting Paul to encourage his son in the faith to mix water with wine to ease the symptoms (1 Timothy 5:23). Epaphroditus, a fellow worker with Paul, also experienced an illness. He was deathly sick, though the Lord helped him recover (Philippians 2:25-27). We cannot assume, then, that the Christian life means protection from disease. The “health and wealth” gospel is not found in Scripture.
The most compelling example in Scripture that proves we should not blame all suffering on a person’s sin is found in the Gospel of John. Jesus and the disciples encountered a man who had been blind since birth. Like many believers today, the disciples assumed that either the man or his parents had sinned, leading to the man’s blindness (John 9:1-2). Pay attention to Jesus’ reply, “’ Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3, NIV).
Sickness and suffering occur in life because we live in a broken world. Thankfully, God is still Sovereign and can use these times of illness for His glory.
How Does God Use Sickness?
If we believe what Scripture teaches, that God is the Ruler of the universe, then we should know that nothing happens without His approval. He is not the cause of pain and suffering, but He can transform bad things into something good (see Genesis 50:20). We might not always see it immediately, or even on this side of eternity, but our Lord is always working for our good (Romans 8:28).
We see this principle at work in Hezekiah's life. He had developed a boil and grew ill. The prophet Isaiah delivered the grim news that Hezekiah would die (2 Kings 20:1). Understandably, the king was afraid and asked God for more time to live, which He answered (2 Kings 20:2-7). Hezekiah made a full recovery.
Reading this story without further biblical context, we can easily think that it teaches us to pray for healing when we are sick. If we study other passages, though, we find the wider story. Isaiah also recorded the account, providing Hezekiah’s prayer of praise (see Isaiah 38:9-20). The king made a renewed commitment to live for the Lord and offered praise to Him. Not only was the healing a blessing, but so was the illness. Hezekiah said that it was for his benefit that he had suffered the sickness (Isaiah 38:17).
At first glance, we might flinch at these words. How can suffering from an illness be good? Would we tell a person with a chronic illness or cancer that their pain is good? Scripture never says that sickness is good but that God can use it for our benefit. As David said in Psalm 119:71, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (NIV). Those who allow their weakness and anguish in times of illness to drive them to God find that they learn more about Him. Like Hezekiah and David, they experience the love, strength, beauty, mercy, and comfort of the Lord in ways they would not have if they had always remained healthy.
Of course, we must be willing to listen and learn from God during times of sickness. Hardships have the power to push us far from our Savior just as much as they can draw us closer to Him. Lots of us will naturally experience periods of anger and bitterness, but we should take those feelings to the Lord. He knows what it is like to suffer and is near to us in our pain.
If we lean into Him, we will find that our illness is never wasted. Christians learn faithfulness and perseverance in sickness. Also, those who have endured pain with their eyes set firmly on Jesus are often those who are best suited to comfort and serve others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Should We Always Expect to be Healed?
Numerous examples exist in the Bible that show God healing individuals. He restored Miriam after afflicting her with leprosy (Numbers 12:13-15). Naaman also received healing from the Lord (2 Kings 5:13-14). Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He brought healing to people who suffered from numerous ailments, including blindness, deafness, a fever, and a bleeding condition (Matthew 11:4-5; 14:36; Luke 4:38-40; 8:43-48). Through these healings, Christ showed that He is the Messiah and gave a foretaste of the Kingdom. After His ascension, He continued to heal people through the work of the Apostles (Acts 3:6-7; 5:12-16).
These stories of healing might make us think that the Lord will always cure us when we are sick. God certainly can divinely heal people and may choose to do this when we experience disease. When this happens, we should praise the Lord and give thanks (see Psalm 116:1-8). However, we are wise to consider the full teaching of Scripture that shows individuals growing in faith during trials and pain. The great Physician is concerned more about our spiritual growth than instantly taking us out of hardship. Illnesses can lead individuals to trust in Jesus for salvation or mature a believer’s faith.
Our Lord said we would experience troubles in life (John 16:33). The Christian life is not easy, as we should expect suffering. Numerous followers of God throughout time have endured times of affliction to the glory of God.
Instead of always seeking relief from trials, we should recognize that the Lord can be glorified in our weaknesses. Many of us will face health crises and long-term illnesses. Yet, we should not let these struggles hinder our walk with Christ. Let us remember the sufficiency of Jesus’ grace and praise Him for His strength when we are weary and in distress (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
What Does This Mean?
God does not promise us immunity to suffering. We live in a fallen world where illness occurs. Instead of adopting ideas from the world that tell us that the Christian life should be comfortable and free from trouble, we need to remember the biblical examples of faithful followers of God enduring sickness. They often grew through their trials and praised God for the chance to learn more about His love.
We do not have the assurance of perpetual good health, but we have the promise of the Lord’s constant presence (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).
Photo Credit: © Unsplash/Jordan Bauer
