The benefits of a lingering illness (and no - I am not kidding)

The Benefits of a Lingering Illness

Barbara Henderson

The bible says our God loads us with daily benefits. 

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Psalm 68:19

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Pslam 103:2

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

Psalm 116:12

The daily benefits do not stop because of a prolonged illness in a loved one, a friend, or even our own self.  God doesn’t stop caring for us, and He does not stop being in control.  There are benefits that go along with illness. 

It gives the sick person time to get their affairs in order.

They may recover or not.  Their affairs will still be in order.  They have time to consider heaven and get rid of any doubts about their own salvation.

It gives the family time to accept what is happening.

It is not a pleasant experience, but it is no better or worse than an unexpected loss.  IF someone has a lingering illness it gives the family time to adjust to some extent.  The final loss is still a shock, but it is somewhat better prepared for, at least from my experience.

It gives family time to consider their own eternal destination.

Lost family members cannot escape their own mortality while looking at someone they love facing a possibly terminal illness.

It gives an example to those you come in contact with regarding your own Christian faith and possibly point them to Christ.

Through an illness you meet people you would not have otherwise met.  The examples of the sick person and the family can be a witness to professional care givers and medical staff.

What you do matters in sickness or in health.

What a family does in a time of crises matters.  As Christians we are still supposed to be more like Christ.  How we face our own mortality or that of a family member matters.  Some people, family or others, will be affected by our actions and attitude.