Is sickness a blessing?

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Underwhosewings

Well-known member
Jan 19, 2023
1,318
670
113
Australia
#61
Deuteronomy 8:2 KJV
And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness,

to humble thee, and

to prove thee,

to know what was in thine heart,

whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#63
I like the writing of the Rev J R Miller, he imparts much wisdom and clarifies Biblical questions.

However, today I read a section in which he maintains that sickness is a blessing for which we should always be grateful.

I am not sure at all about that! My health of late has not been good and I definitely DO NOT feel it is a blessing. I pray to Jesus for healing and strength and I always feel comfort is given. I want to be well and I believe Jesus heals, He spent His ministry on earth healing people. He wants us to have life abundantly - surely this does not mean suffering?

To me all sickness and disease is bad and frightening. Yes we learn lessons and grow in character by earnest prayer, by leaning on God and trusting Him to heal us. I know many people do live very great productive lives DESPITE awful afflictions. This we may certainly admire and take inspiration from. Certainly we don't learn anything useful during easy good times, adversity is often a time of learning true lessons.

But to call sickness an actual blessing is going too far in my view. Can and should anyone actually welcome illness? I am just not made of such stern stuff!

What evidence is in the Bible to say sickness is a blessing? Do you suffer long-standing illness and do you consider it a blessing?
No sickness is not a blessing. It is the earnest of the penalty of sin. Though God can bless one inspite of and even through a sickness, sickness itself is part and parcel of the fallen world.
 
Mar 23, 2023
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#64
That is completely False Doctrine ---and people should Run from anyone preaching such nonsense -----

The Scripture clearly says FOLKS ----that Jesus Bore all our sicknesses and disease on the Cross ----so you either believe that Or you Don't -------the Stripes Jesus took on His back purchased back our Health ------

BY HIS STRIPES YOU ARE--Healed ____YOU ARE ----IS PAST TENSE --FOLKS -------your already healed ------you have to BELIEVE that and RECEIVE that -------

It is up to US to keep stress ----anxiety ---fear ---doubt ----and any other cares of this world out of our Lives ----this is what causes Sicknesses and Disease today -------for believers ------not GOD

Jesus defeated Satan on the Cross------- so we need to keep our gate closed to Satan's attacks on our minds ------


There are Sicknesses and Diseases brought on by Satan -------Paul and Job experienced this ----God allowed Satan to inflict these two -----

Paul ask God 3 times to take away his affliction -----and what did God say to Paul -----MY GRACE IS Sufficient ----in your weakness my Grace is your Strength ------We can call on God's Grace to see us through what Satan afflicts on us ----

Job was restored to HEALTH and to more than He started with in the end of his affliction by Satan --------



What is the Greek meaning of infirmities?
:--disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

Greek/Hebrew Definitions. Strong's #769: astheneia (pronounced as-then'-i-ah) from 772;
feebleness (of mind or body); by implication, malady; morally, frailty:--disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

Believers need not to be ridden with Sickness and Disease ------if they are they are allowing stress ---anxiety ---doubt ==fear ---phobias etc into their thought life -----and causing their immune system to fail ------

Stress ---Anxiety ---etc ----causes DIS___EASE in the Body -----and sickness and disease can take over ------

GOD Does Not cause sickness and disease to be a Blessing to anyone -----

you cannot serve your neighbour when your home sick and ridden with disease ------Believers are called to serve others -----Health ----wellness and wholeness comes from having peace in your body --mind and Spirit -----

I told y’all that I am hard to be offended! :D
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,441
3,222
113
#65
Can one experience life and in abundance and be sick at the same time?
Yes. Sickness is something to overcome. 2-1/2 years ago, I was in hospital 8 days with pancreatitis. It's a miserable and potentially fatal illness. It was during COVID which made things more difficult. I was able to witness to a doctor and some others and encouraged some Christian nurses. I had peace the whole time, in spite of extreme pain. One doctor testified that she saw my now wife's prayer answered before her eyes. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,441
3,222
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#66
thank you. i agree we ought not accept illness "fatalistically". we should ask the Lord for help!
yes, sin and sickness and death are invaders in God's good world. but suffering is part of living the Christian life.

do you also believe no Christian should ever be in need? what about martyrdom?
There are always reasons for what happens in a Christian's life. If we are obedient, God has promised to meet our needs. I've learned this the hard way. I was not a giver as I feared going without. It took me a long time to realise that I was lacking because I was not giving!

Martyrdom is not sickness. God calls some to give their physical lives as Stephen did. Such people are exceedingly precious to God. They are also overcomers because they are prepared to die for Christ's sake. (Revelation 12)
 
Aug 23, 2018
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#67
No sickness is not a blessing. It is the earnest of the penalty of sin. Though God can bless one inspite of and even through a sickness, sickness itself is part and parcel of the fallen world.
Epaphroditus was not necessarily sick because of sin.

Philippians 2:30
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
 
Aug 23, 2018
51
14
8
#68
Exactly. Therefore God sent Isaiah to Hezekiah to heal him. And Paul and others prayed for Epaphroditus that he would recover from his sickness.
We are led to believe Epaphroditus was privileged to expose himself to trouble and disease, like so many modern missionaries, in order to serve the Lord.
 
Aug 23, 2018
51
14
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#69
Blindness is not a sickness but a disability. In any event this blind man was healed. Indeed there was not a single person who came to Christ for healing and was not healed. And many did not even come to Him or believe on Him, and yet they were healed.
We should pray as Jesus did if it is thy will let this trouble pass from me but nevertheless let thy will be done.
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
5,219
2,618
113
London
christianchat.com
#70
I like the writing of the Rev J R Miller, he imparts much wisdom and clarifies Biblical questions.

However, today I read a section in which he maintains that sickness is a blessing for which we should always be grateful.

I am not sure at all about that! My health of late has not been good and I definitely DO NOT feel it is a blessing. I pray to Jesus for healing and strength and I always feel comfort is given. I want to be well and I believe Jesus heals, He spent His ministry on earth healing people. He wants us to have life abundantly - surely this does not mean suffering?

To me all sickness and disease is bad and frightening. Yes we learn lessons and grow in character by earnest prayer, by leaning on God and trusting Him to heal us. I know many people do live very great productive lives DESPITE awful afflictions. This we may certainly admire and take inspiration from. Certainly we don't learn anything useful during easy good times, adversity is often a time of learning true lessons.

But to call sickness an actual blessing is going too far in my view. Can and should anyone actually welcome illness? I am just not made of such stern stuff!

What evidence is in the Bible to say sickness is a blessing? Do you suffer long-standing illness and do you consider it a blessing?
Imagine Jesus saying "go thy way and be sick"
 
Apr 9, 2023
11
8
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#72
To me, the Lord's reply to Apostle Paul's prayer springs to mind.
In the book of 2 Corinthians 12, Paul was given a thorn in his flesh and the Lord said

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"

Paul goes on to say he will boast all the more gladly about his weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on him.

Paul was the one who healed many and yet the Lord chose not to heal him.
In this regard, sickness could be interpreted as Lord's calling for you to come nearer to Him.

I encourage you to pray as Paul did; for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
 

NOV25

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2019
995
390
63
#73
Many reasons for sickness.

That God’s power may be put on display. John 9, the blind man…

God chastens His people with plagues. Jeremiah…

Sickness and even death comes as judgment to those who sin. Genesis, Adam and the fall. 1 Corinthians, those who sin in communion…

When sickness or trial arises we should find ourselves being driven humbly before the throne knowing all things be to the glory of our Holy God.

A blanket conclusion that all is either of blessing or curse, God or satan, is not wise or biblical.
 

Underwhosewings

Well-known member
Jan 19, 2023
1,318
670
113
Australia
#74
What evidence is in the Bible to say sickness is a blessing?

Sickness teaches us to always remember to show compassion on others, especially those of the household of faith.

Matthew 25:35-36,39-40,43-45 KJV
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
[36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
[39] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
[40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
[43] I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
[44] Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
[45] Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,149
30,296
113
#75
I believe ultimately that everything in our life is designed to bring us into a more intimate relationship with God.
Increasing our faith is one aspect of that. It did so for Job...see Job 13:15. Though He slay me, I will trust Him.
But there is more. Job 42:5 says I had heard of Thee with my ears, but now my eyes seeth Thee. I don't think Job actually saw God. I believe God revealed Himself to Job in such a way as the difference of his understanding and experience was as if he was blind and now he could see.
In other words, our brains receive about 15% of its sensory information from hearing. It receives 80% from the eyes. If you were blind all your life and could suddenly see, imagine how your experience and understanding of the world would change. Now imagine that happening to your spiritual sight. How different would your understanding and experience of God be?
This only comes as a result of difficulty. That's why James says count it all joy when you fall into all types of trials. We don't enjoy the difficulties. But we can endure them well knowing the end of them is a deeper and more intimate relationship with God.

Job 1:21B and 13:15A
Thank you for the inspiration .:)
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#76
Epaphroditus was not necessarily sick because of sin.

Philippians 2:30
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
Sickness only exists because the fallen state due to sin. So while its not necessarily about personal sin it is still about the sinful condition and the death of the flesh.
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
7,312
2,428
113
#77
Sickness only exists because the fallen state due to sin. So while its not necessarily about personal sin it is still about the sinful condition and the death of the flesh.
Science is working on proving that tension (the lack of faith) is the cause of most sickness.

Just holding our body tense as we react to life in unchristian ways can cause such as migraine and stomach ulcers.

We have Christ within, and we fill our mind with the word. The word leads to relaxation and contentment that brings on health and vitality according to
science.

Instead of pills, perhaps simply forgiving what caused our personal hurts may be a more effective cure of our sickness, along with learning not to keep our body tense thinking that will help us.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,663
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Tennessee
#78
You are uniquely skilled at splitting hairs.

To be healed is a blessing. One you cannot know had you never needed healing.
Sometimes the blessings are not for the one who is healed, but for those around them.
What you have said is often the case. Healing is definitely a blessing.