Friday, April 8, 2016

Sickness

Q: Why isn't God more helpful to those ill, sick, and infirm through medical research, etc...?

I spoke a bit about how I feel that God continually guides researchers and medical professionals in search of treatments for the sick in this post HERE. I don't want to shortcut how I address this question because I've dealt with the topic before. I feel that God is present within these situations and gives us comfort through the process of sickness or illness. 

God always seems to bring wholeness and sanctification from our troubles and experiences when we look to God for truth and understanding. I am reminded of Dame Julian of Norwich who experienced visions of Jesus passion and death during her sickness. Her extreme focus during the illness that almost killed her was the love that God had for her and all of creation and the love she had for God beyond anything else. After reading her record in Revelations of Divine Love, I believe that God used her bad situation for a greater purpose. Not that God caused the sickness, but that he used it to bring strength and connection in relationship in her time of trouble. Julian is regarded today as one of the great Christian mystics and theologians of her time.

We can learn much about dealing with our struggles with sickness and illness through the lives of the faithful that have gone before us. Some folks refer to them as saints, because for us they were great witnesses to the faith.


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