Why Am I Sick?

Scripture: “[The Lord] said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9a

What is your health like? Do you know that God loves you and can work in your life, even if you are suffering physically?

What You Might Have Heard

Many Christians have heard that sickness or illness is caused by your sin or weak faith. Under Old Testament Law, God promised the nation of Israel: “If you listen to [God’s] regulations and faithfully obey them,... the Lord will protect you from all sickness” (Deuteronomy 7:12, 15). But “if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God, all these curses will come and overwhelm you (Deuteronomy 28:15), including being afflicted “with diseases” (Deuteronomy 28:21). Does that still apply today?

Sickness Itself Is Not Evidence of A Curse

In many places, God’s Word gives hope to those suffering sickness. In John 9:1-3, Jesus Himself explained that a man’s infirmity was not a punishment: “As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” His disciples asked Him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

God Uses Our Trials For His Glory

The Apostle Paul wrote much of the New Testament. Very few Christians have been used to bring God glory as much as God used Him. However, God allowed Paul to suffer, to have “a thorn in [his] flesh” which he repeatedly “begged the Lord to take away” (II Corinthians 12:7-8). The Lord did not answer Paul’s prayer with a “yes;” instead, God used this suffering for His glory, for Paul’s good, and for the building up of the Church.

You may discover that it is God’s will for you to endure illness. It is not His will for you to accept it passively, but to ask for recovery, even recruiting others to pray along with you. (See James 5:13-15) But even in the midst of sickness and suffering, we must continue to seek the Lord, for “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). God can use any situation, any trials, any suffering for your good and for His glory.

What Does Forgiveness Feel Like?

Scripture: “Because you belong to Him [Christ Jesus], the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2

Forgiveness is freeing. Through Jesus Christ, you have freedom from the power of sin and death in your life! This feeling of freedom can also be felt when you forgive others.

God’s Forgiveness

Freedom from sin is freedom from its guilt; this freedom is brought to us by God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. God“...is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7). You can be confident God’s grace is working in your life: “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). When you are forgiven, you might experience joy and the feeling a great “burden” (Matthew 11:28) has been lifted.

Forgiveness of Others

The Apostle Paul reminded Christians, “...the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). In our passage, God connects sin with death. To fully understand what that means, we have to realize all sin leads to death. Even the angry feelings we have when we’ve been hurt are destructive. It has been said that being unforgiving is “like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

You may have feelings of freedom and joy when you think about forgiving. Or you may feel like someone does not deserve your forgiveness. But think of it this way: forgiving someone who has wronged you allows you to move on with your life while trusting God’s justice. Free your mind to focus on loving God and living the life He wants for you.

If someone is taking unfair advantage of you, or even abusing you, please get help. Forgiving someone and protecting yourself are not opposites. In some cases, uncovering the truth, (and even allowing legal consequences to come to an abusive person), may be the most redemptive thing you can do for them, as well as for yourself.

The Freedom of Letting Go

God loves us and does not hold our sins against us. “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). We do not need to “...hold a grudge against...” others (Mark 11:25). Love “...keeps no record of being wronged” (I Corinthians 13:5). Get freedom from God by accepting His forgiveness. Then, share it with others.