A friend turned his back on God thirty years ago. Today he is suffering a terminal illness. Another friend is convinced God may be using the illness to reach Doug, to bless him, in fact.
What do you think of that? Can God “Bless you” with a disease that kills you? Can a terminal illness be God’s way of touching you with His grace?
I believe it can. God can use anything. And most of us are so stupid—so stupidly confident in ourselves and in our own talents and health and abilities that God has to take those things away just to get our attention. Sometimes losses and illnesses teach us more than victories ever could.
“God rescues the afflicted by their affliction; He instructs them by their torment…. Behold, God shows Himself exalted by His power. Who is a teacher like Him?”
Job 36:15,22.
Jamie, my friend who suggested a horrible illness might be a blessing in disguise, knows something about illness. She had an amzing resume, an enviable list of credits and she knew people in high places, and then in her forties, she became so sick she had to quit work and move back in with her mom and dad. Some days she feels fine, other days she can hardly get out of bed.
But Jamie is praying for God’s grace to shine on Doug. And she’s praying God will bless Doug though his illness may ravage his health. According to Job 36, that is a Godly prayer. We are supposed to pray according to the Word of God, right? And the Word says, “God rescues the afflicted BY their affliction.” In other words, “God rescues the sick by their sickness. And He teaches them through their suffering… Who is a teacher like Him?” Job 36:15,22.
Of course, there is no better teacher than God. And sometimes He will use an illness to teach you things. Do you know anyone struggling with illnesses right now? Are you struggling with an illness? Pray that God would use that illness to rescue the ill. Pray that He would instruct the ill person through their illness, and that He would prove once again that there is no teacher like Him. He can teach so much wisdom through terrible circumstances. And nothing else matters. As Jamie said to me on Facebook, God’s grace is everything. His grace is greater than her impressive resume. God’s grace is greater than your achievements. God’s grace is greater than anything any of us will ever accomplish in life. His grace is ALL. Pray for God’s grace to impart great wisdom to you and to any of your friends struggling with illness or injury. God can do amazing things in our hearts if we will just be open to Him. He loves you!
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