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The Divine Use of Sickness
By David Cox
[PC34 ]v1 ©2012 www.coxtracts.com
This tract can be freely reproduced.
This tract about the divine use of sickness explains how God works with sickness to remind man of his limited time on earth, the consequences of sin, etc.
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
There is an attitude within much of Christianity that sickness in any form is bad, and God does not have anything to do with it. For these Christians, they ask God to take the sickness away, and sometimes (as though it was their right to be health) that they demand God to remove their sickness. The reality of life is that they continue ill, and many have a crisis of faith over this. For them, God is impotent, or God does not love them. In other words, their confidence, faith, and love of God depend on God always sending them good things. But this is not how the Bible indicates life is. God uses calamity and sickness for His own purposes and we have to understand this (and accept it).
Understanding that God is God
Probably the error most common in this is the lack of understanding that God is God, and being God, he has control and responsibility for our lives. He provides for us, and gives us good, but also gives us calamities and problems. Some me complain at this comment, “God never did anything bad to anybody.” God does not sin, but calamity, bad events, and sickness is not the same as sin. Sin is what is outside of God’s will, and these things can exist within God’s will.
Deut 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
God, actually in this capacity, has the homework of deciding when we are born, and when we did, and this is for EVERYBODY. Equally, God imposes the quality of life that one has, even the allowing of our sicknesses, and then, when God decides, He decides how and when we die of some disease or whether we get well from it.
The important point is not to criticize or attack God for this, but to recognize that God occupies this position of Supreme Rey over all Creation. He punishes sin in our lifetime with bad consequences, and in the end, orders our death. It is His right and responsibility because He is the Creator. Consider, is it really Satan who decides when we are sick or well? Then there would be nobody well ever.
God declared this for Israel so that they would worship God. There is no other person or alternative where they can run to in order to get resolution from the problems of life. Satan uses this detail to divide people from God, accusing God and ill-will impugning the motives of the person of God. Now we look at some varying reasons of why people “get sick” (equally have calamities or problems).
Sickness because of Sin
First, we have to understand that sickness is a part of life. In other words, Adam and Eve sinned, and the effect of that sick reaches us (all humanity) as a consequence of sin. We observe this in the march of life as we slowly grow older and our bodies “wear out”, and in the end, we die. NOBODY CAN AVOID THIS!
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
So when we realize “our reality”, everybody is going to die, and this “clock” starts when we are born, and God decides this on every human because everybody is a sinner. Also we see that the idea of immortal life on earth is in violation of this clear declaration by God, and earthly immortality outside of God’s rules is an invention of Satan. God insists that we will all die before entering eternal life, and this is physically as well dying to ourselves (a spiritual death in repentance springing up to spiritual life).
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
But as a consequence of sin, God will punish creation with this wearing away, running down until it completely breaks down, and every sinful human being will have sickness until death. So God uses sickness in order to “get our attention.” The concept of “faith” is confidence in God when one needs something. I trust my car when I need transportation. I trust aspirin when I have a headache. We trust God when we have needs and problems, and therefore, without problems, there is no real need to trust Him. If there were no hell, would we really have a relationship with God at all? Truthfully,
we owe God our whole existence. How have you given God constant thanks for the air we breathe, the firm earth beneath our feet, or the light that allows us to see? Hardly ever do we praise and thank Him for what he does for us. So our problems and sicknesses are all part of the same “scene”. All this is to pull us into giving God thankfulness and worship His holy being. This is because we are sinners, and weak beings, and we do depend on God even though we do not thank Him for all His constant blessings
Worship is to exalt and recognize this Being, God, and praise and thanksgiving are spiritual activities which link what happens in our lives with Him. This is what He wants us as His creatures to be doing, but we don’t do it. Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Each one of us is either living contentedly under the will of God for our lives, or we rebel against it. For those who find this “sweet spot” of living in God’s will, even bad things are good on an eternal level. It is what God has decided for each one. If God decided to make an example out of just Job, then you should not fight or complain against God when things don’t go the best in your own life. You should resign yourself to that will of God, and seek to give God the glory. Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. God Himself advises us that He gives us rough treatment sometimes. It is not because He DOESN’T LOVE US, but because He does. This should cause us to zealous, careful of our lives. This idea is to be on fire with our relationship with God, have much dedication and passion towards God.
Warning about Coming Death
The problem with the human soul is that it is lazy and doesn’t want to take care of things in the proper time to do so. If it were not for God making an intrusion into our lives with sickness, many would never really intensely seek God. The only time that many pray earnestly to God is when there is some calamity, some serious problem, or when they are sick unto death. This was the case of King Hezekiah.
2Kgs 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
So, God in his mercy and goodness, makes us sick. Why you say? Because every sickness makes us remember two things: 1) I am a sinner, and without the mercy of God, worse can come upon me. 2) The end approaches, so put your house in order. Rather that going crazy trying to be well, you should take the warning seriously. With medicine (that at times the Bible ministers commanded others to take) or without medicines, we should always see the important spiritual warning of being sick. To be healed or not is the decision of God, not us, but the reaction to the spiritual warning is our part.
Warning of Human Weakness
2Cor 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Paul had a sickness in his body, and he took it to God so that God would heal him. God did not want to heal him. The understanding for us is that God gives us or allows us to be weak, sick, or with problems so that we will depend even more on our Savior.
Each person with a grave, painful, or even mortal sickness, should glory in his sickness because God, in His profound love, and given that person this so as to create a profound relationship of peace and confidence between that person and God. It is not a reason to raise a scandal with God, complaining with God, nor getting bitter against God. God has given you this situation so that it makes your relationship with the Savior even deeper. In our weakness is when we depend on even more on God, and this is what gives glory to God, and God likes this situation.
The Error of the Sick
Phil 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 1Cor 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
The problem with many is their reaction when bad things enter their life, as with a sickness, and worse if it is grave, possibly unto death. We meditate on the case of Job, where God put His servant as on exhibition to the world (for all heaven to see as well as earth) in order to demonstrate the real character of Job confronting tribulation and sickness. God does not use us if we are complainers and murmurers about our station in life.
God listens to those who ask in Sincerity
Ps 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
We should not end without focusing also on the great power of God, and his love as our beloved Father. God WANTS TO ANSWER and change the bad conditions in our lives. At times, it is not God’s will in a particular situation, but many times, God will permit problems or sickness so that He can show His glory in changing what appears to be impossible (i.e. do a miracle). This will only happen when the individual has faith in God, has a good attitude, and seeks in humble prayer that God would listen to him.
Matt 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
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