Illness

By Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.

All of us have experienced illness; some more debilitating than others, even unto death. Illness is a difficult malady that renders us weak and faint, sometimes to the point of wanting to die.

My dear wife has been ill for weeks, groaning from terrible pain on her bed. She has been so weak that she has been unable to be out of bed for long. It is a terribly helpless feeling knowing you cannot help her in her pain, but wanting to in the worst way.

Illness is a fact of a fallen world. In a world ravaged by the terrible impact of sin and disobedience, illness raises its ugly head for all of us, leaving us with this pleading confession of the psalmist. Illness is the ultimate valley of humanity, illness of all kinds.

Physicians and medicines can often work their wonders, relieving us of the sickness that has been thrust upon us, but not before we suffer its effects. But there are times when the physician or medicines are of little help, or the illness must run its course. And other times when neither physician nor medicine makes any difference.

In any case, prayer is always the best recourse. God, in His providence, brings illness upon us for purposes He alone knows. Turning to Him, as the psalmist does, is the very best thing we can do.

In any sickness, light or strong, turning to the Master of our souls and bodies is the first and last answer to our healing. God holds our health and strength in His hands. Waiting upon Him for our healing is paramount. He is the final answer to our outcome in the face of any such adversity.

Illness is one very evident truth that our lives are in God’s hands. You can have all the money in the world, be healthy as a horse, as the saying goes and still be brought low by the hand of God if He so wills.

Never have so much trust in yourself, that you think you can ignore God. You are but a cancer germ away from a life-threatening predicament. No one can predict tomorrow in your life. He holds your future in His hands.

In the case of my wife, we hold hope in God for her healing. We are both up in age. God knows the path that we take. Our lives are in His hands. Blessed be the name of the LORD. The LORD Jesus satisfies us with His boundless love.

Encouragement