Life is full of unexpected events, no matter how much we try to avoid poor choices. The truth is, we will all eventually face difficult situations, such as illness or accidents, that can cause us great discomfort. But why do we experience these hardships? It all goes back to the Garden of Eden. God created Adam and Eve in perfect health, free from disease. But when they sinned, the entire natural order was disrupted. Sickness became a harsh reality, and death an inevitable part of life. In some form or another, we will all experience illness, injury, or even death in our lives.
At some point, we will all face the loss of our health,
whether it comes on suddenly or gradually. The fear of illness often triggers a
deep panic within us. A call from the doctor's office, a physician's concerned
expression, or a sudden pain in our chest can be terrifying. Fear of disease
can invade our hearts, and the emotional and physical toll it takes can feel
overwhelming.
Disease, by definition, is any condition that causes pain,
dysfunction, distress, or even death. Many diseases also have social and
financial impacts. For example, conditions like cancer, heart disease, and
dementia are common, and they can affect us in profound ways. In many cases,
treatments for these diseases can be just as challenging as the diseases
themselves. Sometimes, the process of seeking help can feel dehumanizing, as we
lose our sense of dignity.
Yet, illness and injury are not new experiences. Even in
biblical times, people faced sickness, disease, and accidents. However, the
Bible shows us that prayer changes things. When King Hezekiah was seriously
ill, he prayed to God, and God answered his prayer. Hezekiah’s life was
extended by 15 years. Interestingly, God didn’t just heal Hezekiah by saying
“be healed.” Instead, God used a specific remedy: He instructed Isaiah to have
a lump of figs applied to Hezekiah’s boil (Isaiah 38:21). This shows that God
can heal through both miraculous means and through natural remedies. There is
no contradiction in using medicine, as God can heal in many ways.
When Hezekiah’s health was restored, he praised God. He
acknowledged that his illness was allowed by God to strengthen his faith, and
he vowed to continue praising God all the days of his life (Isaiah 38:17-20).
This is a reminder that even in times of illness, we can learn to trust in
God’s plan and purpose.
God may choose to heal us now, later, or even through the
promise of a new body in heaven. During times of sickness or injury, we are
reminded to focus on what is truly important in life. Our health may fail us,
but our faith in God remains steadfast.
We can learn from Hezekiah's experience. Though he faced the
fear of death, he realized that life was in God’s hands. He prayed, and God
answered. When we face illness or challenges, we too should pray for healing,
but we should always pray, “If it be Your will.” We trust that God knows what
is best for us, and that, ultimately, all of us will be healed — either here on
earth or in heaven.
In times of fear and sickness, we are called to control our
minds, as 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” It’s important to stay
spiritually and emotionally strong, even when our bodies are weak. Proverbs
18:14 reminds us that "the spirit of a man will sustain him in his
sickness." Our attitude and mindset play a huge role in overcoming
illness.
Another key to finding strength during illness is to count
our blessings. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are told, "In everything give
thanks." While we may not be thankful for the illness itself, we can still
find reasons to be grateful for what we have left — our faith, our loved ones,
or even small comforts.
Finally, consider the example of Hezekiah, who faced death
but was given an extension of life. His illness, though frightening, was used
by God to build his faith. And, as we face our own struggles, we can find
comfort in the knowledge that God is with us through every challenge. Like
Hezekiah, we too can praise God in all circumstances, trusting that He will
guide us and give us strength to face whatever comes our way.
Isaiah 38 ESV
38 In those days Hezekiah became sick and
was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to
him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for
you shall die, you shall not recover.”[c] 2 Then Hezekiah
turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and
said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in
faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.”
And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the Lord came
to Isaiah: 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says
the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have
seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.[d] 6 I will
deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will
defend this city.
7 “This shall be the sign to you from
the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: 8 Behold,
I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back
ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had
declined.[e]
9 A writing of Hezekiah king of
Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:
10 I said, In the middle[f] of my days
I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
for the rest of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see the Lord,
the Lord in the land of the living;
I shall look on man no more
among the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
like a shepherd's tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;
13 I calmed myself[g] until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
from day to night you bring me to an end.
14 Like a swallow or a crane I
chirp;
I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me,
and he himself has done it.
I walk slowly all my years
because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 O Lord, by these things men live,
and in all these is the life of my spirit.
Oh restore me to health and make me live!
17 Behold, it was for my welfare
that I had great bitterness;
but in love you have delivered my life
from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
behind your back.
18 For Sheol does not thank you;
death does not praise you;
those who go down to the pit do not hope
for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living, he thanks you,
as I do this day;
the father makes known to the children
your faithfulness.
20 The Lord will save me,
and we will play my music on stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
at the house of the Lord.
21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them
take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22 Hezekiah also had
said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”
No comments:
Post a Comment