"We thank God for [insert malady here]."

[Tom Hart]

A Christian father I know has a son who's gone and contracted pneumonia. The boy has been in hospital. The situation is under control.

When I sent a text message to ask the father how his son is doing, he replied that he was doing OK in hospital. Then he said, "We thank God for this pneumonia." That was it.

[EDIT #1: I should have clarified originally that this is something I have encountered in the past in Pentecostal circles. I raise the question because I was surprised to hear it coming from a Reformed Christian.]

I was immediately rather taken aback. I cannot say that, were my own son so afflicted, that my first response would be to thank God. I would pray for healing, and I would thank God for modern medicine (which makes pneumonia a lot less scary than it might be) and I would pray for God to be glorified somehow.

Now, I cannot say that it is quite wrong to thank God for sickness. We know that all things work together for our good. So is this just a matter of misplaced emphases? Am I seeing something wrong?

What is the correct response to such things, that, at least at first glance, are not exactly good things? I'd appreciate any help thinking about this.

[EDIT #2: One of my chief concerns is the optics of this sort of attitude. Unqualified, such a comment as that above could be misread, couldn't it? And just imagine telling your kid that you are thankful for his sickness. It might not be theologically incorrect, but it could give the wrong idea.]

 

[OPC'n]

I would probably ask him for more information instead of asking us who do not know him or where his emphases are. I'm not trying to sound cheeky, but he would be the one to shine more light on his statement. I would be interested in hearing what he means.

 

[Tom Hart]

I would probably ask him for more information instead of asking us who do not know him or where his emphases are. I'm not trying to sound cheeky, but he would be the one to shine more light on his statement. I would be interested in hearing what he means.

I'll do that. I'll talk him in person, however, so you'll have to wait a few days.

 

[Pergamum]

If there is a sick person involved just nod and say ok and pray for them.

We can be thankful for grace despite sickness or the fruits developed from sickness, but not the sickness.

 

[Tom Hart]

If there is a sick person involved just nod and say ok and pray for them.

We can be thankful for grace despite sickness or the fruits developed from sickness, but not the sickness.

This is what I think as well. After all, sickness is a reminder of death, the curse for sin, the result of the fall.

Be joyful in all things, not because of all things, right?

 

[Von]

I think it is a Reformed response (albeit excessive) to the charismatic idea that God has nothing to do with any of our trials.
I agree with what Pergamum said:

If there is a sick person involved just nod and say ok and pray for them.

Even on the charismatic side when they come with "claiming health" and "binding the illness-demon", I would agree with them verbally in saying "I pray with you guys that God would lift this terrible illness."

 

[Ed Walsh]

Now, I cannot say that it is quite wrong to thank God for sickness. We know that all things work together for our good. So is this just a matter of misplaced emphases? Am I seeing something wrong?

What is the correct response to such things, that, at least at first glance, are not exactly good things? I'd appreciate any help thinking about this.

Greetings,

I do not claim to speak for anyone except myself, but I have a very definite view of afflictions, sickness, and trials of all types as it relates to my walk with the Lord. I am in good health and soon to be 68 years old. But my family genes predict that I will not get much older. My father and grandfather both died in their 50s; my grandfather's four brothers also died in their 50s. My mother died at 39 years old. All that to say this. I have learned to carefully number my days and try to make each one count for something towards the next world. But being a faithful, obedient sacrificial servant of Christ has always eluded me. I have shared how close to the Lord I have been these past years, and I praise the God of Heaven for his wonderful presents and help to me. But I still have a lot of trouble looking up and telling my Lord how much I love Him. You see, there are two sides to love. Love received from God should be reciprocated by our love back to Him. Love that is faithful in keeping His commandments. "If you love me you will keep My Commandments."

That's where trials and other difficulties come in. When I am sick, I thank the Lord and ask him to have his way in my life through the trial. Last year I was sued for $200,000 and was never really anxious about it because Romans 8:28 teaches us that all things work together for our good. And I really can't think of anything not included in the set of all things. So when I'm in trouble, I say, "stay not thy hand oh Lord if the rod will be a benefit to my soul. Thank you for your loving discipline. Please train me in godliness before I go the way of all the earth, for in the grave, no man can praise thee." Recently I was sick for some 37 days, and near the end of that time, I did finally ask the Lord once if He would be so kind as to heal me. But I made it clear to Him that I did not want the healing if the sickness still had its work to do in my life. "Oh Lord, change me; help me to live for you while I still have life in my veins." When that lawsuit hit, and my company was in the wrong, in this case, I prayed again, "Oh Lord, thank you for the trial; please let it have its work in my life." and again I prayed, "stay not thy hand. For I want to know you, and the power of your Resurrection, and the fellowship of your sufferings being made conformable even unto the death."

As I have shared in other posts, the Lord has richly blessed me with full assurance of faith and exquisite times of true fellowship with the Triune God. But I do want to return as much as I can to Him by way of putting more sin out of my life and gaining a more obedient heart to do his will.

Psalms 119:67‭, ‬‬71‭, ‬75 (KJV)
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.​

Postscript: About my illness. It began to improve from the day I prayed until about three days later when I was fully recovered. And the lawsuit was settled in a remarkable way that is a story all its own, so that in the end it only cost me $10,000. The Lord is good. Whatever scrapings or dregs we bring to Him, He repays us a hundredfold for everything He enables us to do to please Him.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)​

 

[Tom Hart]

Greetings,

I do not claim to speak for anyone except myself, but I have a very definite view of afflictions, sickness, and trials of all types as it relates to my walk with the Lord. I am in good health and soon to be 68 years old. But my family genes predict that I will not get much older. My father and grandfather both died in their 50s; my grandfather's four brothers also died in their 50s. My mother died at 39 years old. All that to say this. I have learned to carefully number my days and try to make each one count for something towards the next world. But being a faithful, obedient sacrificial servant of Christ has always eluded me. I have shared how close to the Lord I have been these past years, and I praise the God of Heaven for his wonderful presents and help to me. But I still have a lot of trouble looking up and telling my Lord how much I love Him. You see, there are two sides to love. Love received from God should be reciprocated by our love back to Him. Love that is faithful in keeping His commandments. "If you love me you will keep My Commandments."

That's where trials and other difficulties come in. When I am sick, I thank the Lord and ask him to have his way in my life through the trial. Last year I was sued for $200,000 and was never really anxious about it because Romans 8:28 teaches us that all things work together for our good. And I really can't think of anything not included in the set of all things. So when I'm in trouble, I say, "stay not thy hand oh Lord if the rod will be a benefit to my soul. Thank you for your loving discipline. Please train me in godliness before I go the way of all the earth, for in the grave, no man can praise thee." Recently I was sick for some 37 days, and near the end of that time, I did finally ask the Lord once if He would be so kind as to heal me. But I made it clear to Him that I did not want the healing if the sickness still had its work to do in my life. "Oh Lord, change me; help me to live for you while I still have life in my veins." When that lawsuit hit, and my company was in the wrong, in this case, I prayed again, "Oh Lord, thank you for the trial; please let it have its work in my life." and again I prayed, "stay not thy hand. For I want to know you, and the power of your Resurrection, and the fellowship of your sufferings being made conformable even unto the death."

As I have shared in other posts, the Lord has richly blessed me with full assurance of faith and exquisite times of true fellowship with the Triune God. But I do want to return as much as I can to Him by way of putting more sin out of my life and gaining a more obedient heart to do his will.

Psalms 119:67‭, ‬‬71‭, ‬75 (KJV)
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

I know, O Lord , that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.​

Postscript: About my illness. It began to improve from the day I prayed until about three days later when I was fully recovered. And the lawsuit was settled in a remarkable way that is a story all its own, so that in the end it only cost me $10,000. The Lord is good. Whatever scrapings or dregs we bring to Him, He repays us a hundredfold for everything He enables us to do to please Him.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)​

Thank you, Mr. Walsh, for sharing this. As always, I appreciate your contribution here.

 

[TylerRay]

A Christian father I know has a son who's gone and contracted pneumonia. The boy has been in hospital. The situation is under control.

When I sent a text message to ask the father how his son is doing, he replied that he was doing OK in hospital. Then he said, "We thank God for this pneumonia." That was it.

[EDIT #1: I should have clarified originally that this is something I have encountered in the past in Pentecostal circles. I raise the question because I was surprised to hear it coming from a Reformed Christian.]

I was immediately rather taken aback. I cannot say that, were my own son so afflicted, that my first response would be to thank God. I would pray for healing, and I would thank God for modern medicine (which makes pneumonia a lot less scary than it might be) and I would pray for God to be glorified somehow.

Now, I cannot say that it is quite wrong to thank God for sickness. We know that all things work together for our good. So is this just a matter of misplaced emphases? Am I seeing something wrong?

What is the correct response to such things, that, at least at first glance, are not exactly good things? I'd appreciate any help thinking about this.

[EDIT #2: One of my chief concerns is the optics of this sort of attitude. Unqualified, such a comment as that above could be misread, couldn't it? And just imagine telling your kid that you are thankful for his sickness. It might not be theologically incorrect, but it could give the wrong idea.]

We should be thankful for afflictions of every kind, not as things good in themselves, but as dispensations of our loving Father's all-wise providence.

 

[Tom Hart]

We should be thankful for afflictions of every kind, not as things good in themselves, but as dispensations of our loving Father's all-wise providence.

Thanks. That's very helpful.

 

[Stephen L Smith]

Mrs CH Spurgeon said "it pleased the Lord to make me an invalid".

Joni Eareckson Tada said "I thank God for this chair". From her book "A lifetime of wisdom". She is a quadriplegic.

After Jonathan Edwards died, Sarah Edwards said "What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. Oh that we may kiss the rod, and lay our hands on our mouths. The Lord has done it. He has made me adore His goodness, that we had him so long. But my God lives; and He has my heart.
O what a legacy my husband, and your father, has left us! We are all given to God; and there I am, and love to be."

These were great woman of God.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Robert Traill: "Afflictions are trials of faith; faith is to be acted in and under them; often is faith shaken by them. Sometimes believing is strongest, when the believer is in greatest distress. ... But still affliction is an evil in itself, though the Lord turns it into good." (Works, 2: 269)

 

[StephenMartyr]

Our Lord's gracious response to Paul:

2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Understanding our weakness and frailty, we can all the more glory in the Glory of Christ and His strength.

1Co 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.