James 5:14,15

"Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven."

Exodus 15:26

"...I am the Lord, who heals you."

2 Cor. 12:6

(Regarding the illness/sickness of Paul and his asking the Lord to take it away.) The Lord replied, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Cor. 4:17

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

Mark 14:36

(Regarding the pain of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane) "Abba, Father, he said, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Psalm 41:2-4

"The Lord will protect him and spare his life. The Lord will bless him in the land. The Lord will not let his enemies take him. The Lord will give him strength when he is sick. The Lord will make him well again."

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Life is hard when one is sick or in pain. Sickness and pain does not come from God. It is the result of original sin. Now, true it is that there is a cause and effect principle operating in the world. I think you understand what I mean. If I strike my thumb with a hammer or if I (by mistake-could be wrong/or sin) get my hand caught in a door being slammed there is going to be pain and a consequence. Everything we do DOES have a reaction. Often times it is not pleasant.

God does heal our sickness. That is a Gospel truth - even seen in Communion. God does relieve us of pain. However, more than not we do not see the results of our prayer in this regard. Why? That is a question one must ask the Lord!! In the mean time we can rest assured that He is aware of us and that through it all and in it all God is with us.

Not that it helps one in pain, but pain in itself is necessary. For example, a man that felt no pain would not be able to tell if he sat upon a chair or a red-hot plate. If one felt no pain they might walk on a bed of nails or other sharp instruments and inflict serious injury upon himself. Pain does let us know that something is wrong. In that it is good.

But in the context of this article one needs some HELP or RELIEF from pain. One must go to the Father. Then (and most important) that one must trust the Father. Naturally, God can at any given moment change everything. However, God does not at every moment change everything. The answer to “why” is that we as human beings can not see t he depth of the work of the Father. Now, I hear someone thinking/saying, “that does not ease my pain” or “that does not help my sickness”. Wrong!!

Sickness and pain (coming originally from the Evil One) does have therapeutic value. How? It has been used by God to bringing one closer to Him. It has been used by Him to guide and direct. And, God has spoken “through pain and sickness”. One stated, “Why should I murmur” This was spoken in his last sickness. “weakness, peril and pain are but the ministering angels whose office it is to conduct me to glory.”

Yes, we who are the righteous in Christ Jesus do suffer pain and sickness. IN it and among the tears that are shed I like to think of them as rain drops that are producing sunbeams.

Perhaps it is of little value to most (but a few will benefit by this statement) that continued prosperity - life on the smooth path, etc. do not normally present to a person the necessity to press closer to God.

Sickness will come. You have had it, or you will, because that is just the way it is being part of the human race. How one handles it is another thing. The most important thing to remember regarding sickness and being in pain is that you are not aloneGod is with you and He loves you and He will give you strength (coupled with your faith) to endure. His face IS shinning upon you. The “tomorrows” will change...even if they take days. It was Jesus who said, “In the world you will have troubles, sorrows (insert sickness and pain) but take heart. I have overcome...”

Merciful Jesus, please take note of and present to the Father this one reading these lines.

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