THE HEALTHY CHRISTIAN
Why do spiritual people get sick? This is a question that many theologians have struggled with for centuries. Is illness some sort of divine punishment? The entire book of Job in the Bible addresses these questions, among others. Many illnesses are, in large part, a matter of the natural consequences of our choices. If you smoke, your risk of lung cancer skyrockets. If you don’t exercise and don’t eat a healthy diet, you are more likely to succumb to heart disease. These are predictable outcomes to God’s unyielding natural laws. There is not a one-to-one correlation between spirituality and health. There is no question that pursuing a spiritual, prayerful life will improve one’s health …mind, body, and spirit… but it does not free you from disease. Living a Christian life does not guarantee health.
Do I understand why young children get cancer? Can I make sense of the suffering of AIDS victims? Can I logically justify why bad things happen to good people? No, I can’t. But I can keep from obsessing about why and focus on what now. Unlike the attempt of Steven Hawking, the physicist with Lou Gehrig’s disease and author of A Brief History of Time, I do not profess to “know the mind of God.” But I do know Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” …emphasis mine….
There are numerous examples in a variety of faith backgrounds of spiritually aware persons who were physically afflicted. Buddha, arguably a very spiritual person, died of food poisoning. St. Bernadette, the girl who saw the visions of the Virgin Mary at
The story of Job gives us great practical insight into why bad things, like illness, befall good people. The book begins with the statement, “He was blameless, a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” Yet tragedy after tragedy befell this spiritual man. What is the conclusion at the end of this story? It is easy to believe that we have all the answers. In reality, only God knows why things happen as they do, and we must always remember that He is in control. We are not puppets. We show our love and devotion through our decisions; however, God’s love is always there, guiding events. The Life Application Bible Commentary puts it this way:
“God is in control. In our world invaded by sin, calamity and suffering come to good and bad alike.
This does not mean that God is indifferent, uncaring, unjust, or powerless to protect us. Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world, where both believers and unbelievers are hit with the tragic consequences of sin. God allows evil for a time although he turns it around for our good …Romans 8:28…. We may have no answers as to why God allows evil, but we can be sure He is all-powerful and knows what he is doing. The next time you face trials and dilemmas, see them as opportunities to turn to God for strength. You will find a God who only desires to show His love and compassion to you. If you can trust Him in pain, confusion, and loneliness, you will win the victory and eliminate doubt, one of Satan’s greatest footholds in your life. Make God your foundation. You can never be separated from His love.” (7)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment