John 9:2-3 (NKJV)
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
Why do good people get sick or become handicapped? For that matter, why does that happen to anyone? Does anyone really deserve more trouble in this life? What about those with a diagnosis that leads to death? Why doesn’t God fix it?
Sometimes we bring unhealthy trouble upon ourselves. We spend the majority of our lives eating fried chicken, King Dongs and ice cream and then wonder why we have clogged arteries and a heart that is failing. You could say we get what we ask for in those instances. Then there are some who are athletes and consume only the best of organically grown food who have similar issues because of their genetic makeup. Why is that?
There are instances where someone, through no apparent reason, develops a non-lethal disease. For years they go through the daily ritual that makes it possible to live with that condition. They hope and pray for healing but it has not come. Why ls that?
Then there are those who are diagnosed with a terminal illness and despite all our advances in medicine and wholistic approaches, there is no treatment that will make it go away. They know their days are numbered. I can only imagine how hard it is to walk in their shoes. My heart asks “why”?
I don’t have an answer to the “Why” of disease that will necessarily present a happy ending, but this is how I look at it:
- Sin entered the world in the garden of Eden. With sin came all the byproducts of “the fall” and that includes disease, handicap, sickness and death. We will all inevitably have to deal with sickness and, unless The Lord returns first, we will face death. (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12)
- We are accountable for how we care for our bodies. I do not always do as I should, even in the food I consume, but I want to do better so I can represent my Lord in the best way possible. I want to do better in caring for this temple. (Romans 7:15, 6:19-20)
- Being sick or handicapped does not presuppose individual guilt that brought about those hardships. (John 9:3)
- Although disease is a byproduct of a fallen world, God can redeem that in the life of a believer. That doesn’t mean we are always healed but it does mean that God will be with us as we walk that road. He can use it to change us and to change the lives of those around us for good. (Romans 8:28)
- If we are healed of any sickness or disease, it is not our concoctions, deliberations, bargaining or goodness that heals. Ultimately, God alone heals. Sometimes He uses medicine. Sometimes He just speaks and it is done. But any healing is always of Him. (Psalm 103:3)
- Sometimes, maybe most times, we don’t see a reason. We would imagine no reason why Job should suffer as He did. He was a Godly man who loved his family and worshipped God. So why did he have such awful trouble? Maybe it was so God could reveal Himself in a way that was impossible pre-disaster. Maybe it was so God’s work could be shown. Maybe the outcome was both. Job 1 and 38-42 reveals how God moved and how Job was changed.
- God never faults us for asking repeatedly for healing. In some instances, He might be waiting on us to ask before He delivers. (Luke 11:5-8)
- Everyone will not experience full restoration as Job did on this earth. But all followers of Jesus Christ will have our bodies transformed with ultimate healing and perfection when our bodies are brought back to life by Christ. (Roman’s 8:11, Philippians 3:21)
The life of Job has encouraged many struggling with sickness and loss in life. Given his physical misery, we can learn from his example as our bodies begin to fail. Jesus teaches us that God can work in and through our sickness or disease. In the end, what matters is how God is working and how we can be faithful to follow Him through it all. We look humbly to the Lord for help. Then, when the devil taunts us to question God’s love for us, care for us, or plans for us, we glorify God even more by refusing to take the bait. God alone is sovereign and worthy of our trust. For some, He will heal. For some, He will sustain. For some He will call them home. But when we see Him as Job saw Him, we can walk whatever path is before us. So, whether we open our eyes to a new day or close our eyes in death, may the devil be proven wrong because we have determined to be content with God knowing the “Why”, and we have purposed to be thankful and grateful for the work He is doing in us.
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