My latest article on the Ephesus Students website: Sick: To The Glory of God.
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I don’t get sick very often, but when I do, it’s usually pretty bad. Last week I was laying on my back, in bed, with some of the worst flu symptoms I’ve ever experienced. Influenza had me down, and I wasn’t getting back up for a while. Between naps in my NyQuil induced comatose state, I thought a lot about 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” That would most certainly include being sick — but how?
Here’s 8 ways I can think of:
1. Acknowledge that sickness is for your good, and be thankful.
Christians are frequently reminded that, “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Paul doesn’t include any addendums to all things, so I assume he means sickness too. When I am down for the count, coughing, sneezing, experiencing the chills, enduring a headache, or feeling achy, I know that God is at work. I could never venture to imagine exactly how the Lord is using a sickness for my good, or anyone else, because he probably has 1000 reasons in store. But I can be thankful in God’s promise that good will come, and every coughing fit will be worth it.
2. Remember you are being prepared for an eternal weight of glory.
The Apostle Paul reminds us to, “Not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). Sickness and suffering are undoubtedly difficult to endure in our flesh, but compared to the importance of the eternal glory of heaven, they are “light” and insignificant. Glorifying God in our sickness means that we will meditate on the glories of heaven, and be thankful that one day we will be with God forever — that’s far more significant than any pain I will experience in this life.
3. Remember the garden, and be thankful for the cross.
Sickness, pain, suffering, and evil are in this world because of one sin. “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17). The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved” (Romans 8:22-24). The sin of Adam has caused the groaning of creation — but thanks be to Jesus for the hope of the cross, and our adoption as sons of the most high God.
4. Pray more widely than usual with the freed up time.
What else are you going to do while you’re laid out on your back? Pray for everything and everyone you can think of. It’s a good time to practice prayer without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
5. Work on Scripture memory.
It’s undoubtedly more difficult to hold a thought while you’re sick, but taking opportunities to memorize the Word while you’re awake is encouraging, refreshing, and a good development of your spiritual discipline. “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
6. Read large portions of Scripture.
This is probably most difficult because of the challenge of reading and thinking with pain in your body and a cough in your throat. Nevertheless, if you’re able to prop yourself up for a few minutes or hours of reading, go through large portions of Scripture. We often get set in our daily reading plans to only read a few chapters at a time. Take the opportunity to read the epistles as epistles — no one reads a letter one paragraph per day!
7. Allow others to serve you.
Don’t be stubborn. The Lord puts people in our lives to support and encourage us. Allow them to be a blessing to you, and be thankful that the Lord has given them a heart to serve. Sometimes us “independent types” have a hard time with others doing for us what we know we are completely capable of on our own. Don’t limit their joy by insisting on doing it all yourself.
8. Don’t be a complainer.
No one wants to be around a person that reminds the world of their sickness every opportunity they get. Be sick without grumbling (cf. Philippians 2:14) and others will be more willing to serve you. Constant complaining is a sign of selfishness, even when most would say it’s warranted. Give your best effort to be pleasant and understanding. Be thankful that you’re only sick — you deserve much worse.
That’s just a few ways to be sick to the glory of God. May He grant us the ability to do these things with joy the next time we find ourselves under the weather.
