Sickness and God’s love
Is God causing harm to me with cancer? Someone in church said that to me. I’m confused by it. I know sin causes all kinds of problems. But ultimately I feel God wants the very best for me. He loves me and has forgiven me. Doctors say I don’t have long to live. Am I missing something? I am a believer. I look forward to heaven. Is God causing me harm?
By identifying yourself as a fellow believer in Jesus Christ, I can assure you that God is not looking to harm you by the cancer you are dealing with. God is not punishing you for your sins; he has already punished Jesus in your place (Isaiah 53:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He has forgiven you your sins, as you confessed.
While people certainly can bring physical sufferings on themselves by abusing substances, Christians can experience sickness and disease simply by living in a sin-filled world (Romans 8:18-23). The fall into sin brought death and disease, hardships and sorrows.
Thankfully, you and I have a God who did something about all our problems: both physical and spiritual. He sent Jesus into the world to be our perfect Savior. He lived the perfect life we are supposed to but can’t. He endured the punishment our sins deserved. Then, he rose triumphantly from the dead to prove that his life and death were accepted as the full payment for our sins.
God does want the very best for you. He has already given you his best, his Son, and he promises to give you whatever else you need in life (Romans 8:32). And the best is yet to come. The Lord is preparing for the time when you will meet him face-to-face (John 14:1-4). In the perfect life that awaits you and me and all Christians, there will be no more sin or sickness or disease or pain or death (Revelation 21:4). We look forward to that life, and we praise God for that life!
I do hope that your pastor knows of your situation and is visiting you. Through word and sacrament he can reassure you of God’s everlasting love (Isaiah 54:10). God be with you and bless you!