The Prison Cell Of Sickness

I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There are five hurdles that regularly tempt me to avoid opening God’s Word: busyness, laziness, exhaustion, anxiety, and sickness. On any given day, you’ll find me attempting to jump over at least one of these hurdles, often tripping on my own shoelaces.

Recently, my family ran smack into the sickness hurdle. With a painful ear infection, a nasty cold, and two children who were battling the same sickness, I found myself drained of joy and endurance. Even though I put my Bible on the bed next to me while I was using a heating pad for my aching ear, I never opened it.

Just before our household succumbed to illness, I read the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. His deepest desire was for God to be glorified in his life and his body no matter what, “whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20). The fact that Paul wrote these audacious words while confined to a prison cell is a testimony of God’s power at work in him. With chains bruising his wrists, he prayed and declared that even in a prison cell, he would continue to point people to Jesus and praise God for using his suffering to advance the gospel.

If only this were my first response when I come down with an illness or face another trial!

Sickness can feel like a prison, whether it’s temporary or long-lasting. The painful surrender of being bedridden inflicts a slow, agonizing blow to our pride and self-sufficiency. But even in sickness, Christ can be glorified.

When we die to our pride, he is glorified.

When we pause to rest, he is glorified.

When we surrender our plans and trust him to give us strength in our weakness, he is glorified.

The trials we endure will not last forever, but the hope of the gospel does. So whether in life or death, in sickness and health, in suffering and rejoicing, in busyness and rest, may Christ be glorified.

The next time you find yourself tripping over hurdles in your path of sanctification, stumble headfirst into the waiting arms of Jesus.

Word before World Sickness is a classroom where we learn to trust our Savior, who sympathizes with our suffering (see Hebrews 4:15).

Grow in GraceThe next time you find yourself sick in bed, lay aside your pride and surrender to Jesus, who is still at work while you rest. Even in those difficult times, the Lord Jesus will still speak to your heart.