God’s Purposes in Sickness – Part 1
God’s Purposes for Sickness: Finding Meaning in Suffering
Have you ever been so sick that you found yourself asking, “God, why am I going through this?” Whether facing a fleeting illness or a chronic condition, it’s natural to question the purpose behind our physical suffering. While we can’t always know God’s specific plan for our individual situations, Scripture reveals that sickness is never without meaning.
God may use sickness to accomplish various divine purposes in our lives. Let’s explore three biblical purposes behind sickness that can help us understand what God might be doing through our physical challenges.
How Can God Use Sickness to Glorify Himself?
In John 9, Jesus and his disciples encounter a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples immediately assumed his condition was punishment for sin, asking, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus’ response is illuminating: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” This man’s lifelong suffering had a divine purpose—to create an opportunity for God’s power, compassion, and love to be revealed.
Similarly, in John 11, Jesus says of Lazarus’s illness: “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
Consider Fanny Crosby, the famous hymn writer who was blind from six weeks of age. Throughout her 95 years of life, she wrote an astonishing 8,000 hymns, including beloved classics like “Blessed Assurance” and “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” Her physical limitation became the platform through which God’s power was displayed, blessing countless believers across generations.
When we’re sick, we can pray: “God, use this sickness to bring glory to yourself through how I respond. Let others see You in ways they wouldn’t otherwise because You’re working through my weakness.”
Can Sickness Be a Form of Divine Discipline?
In John 5, Jesus heals a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. After healing him, Jesus later finds the man in the temple and warns him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
This warning connects the man’s physical condition with his past sin. While we shouldn’t assume every illness is punishment for specific sin, Scripture does show that sometimes sickness can be a consequence of personal transgression.
Other biblical examples include:
- In Numbers 12, Miriam was struck with leprosy after speaking against Moses.
- In 1 Corinthians 11:30, Paul explains that many in the Corinthian church were “weak and sick, and a number sleep” because they had abused the Lord’s Supper.
Modern examples might include:
- Someone contracting a disease through sexual activity outside of marriage
- Developing liver disease through excessive alcohol consumption
- Health consequences following serious moral failures
If you believe your sickness might be connected to sin:
- Confess your sin to God (1 John 1:9)
- Ask the elders of your church to pray for you (James 5:13-16)
- Trust in God’s grace and forgiveness
How Does God Use Sickness to Test Our Faith?
The book of Job reveals another purpose behind sickness—to prove or test our faith. In Job 1-2, Satan challenges God about Job’s faithfulness, claiming Job only serves God because of his blessings and protection.
God allows Satan to afflict Job, first by taking his possessions and children, then by striking “Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (Job 2:7). Through it all, “Job did not sin with his lips” but maintained his integrity.
Sometimes our sickness has a spiritual dimension we cannot see. God may allow physical affliction to prove the authenticity of our faith—not just to ourselves, but perhaps even to our spiritual adversary who accuses believers before God.
Like a manager testing an employee before a promotion, God may be using your illness as an opportunity to demonstrate your faithfulness: Will you still praise Him when you don’t feel well? Will you still gather with believers when it’s difficult? Will you maintain your trust in His goodness?
Jesus Cares About Your Suffering
During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed countless people with various diseases and disabilities. He gave sight to the blind, speech to the mute, hearing to the deaf, and mobility to the lame. This same Jesus sits on heaven’s throne today, seeing your suffering and caring deeply about your pain.
He invites you to cry out to Him about your sickness. Seek His healing, knowing He cares for you with an incomparable love.
Yet remember that Jesus came for something even more important than physical healing. He came to heal our spiritual condition—our hearts infected with the disease of sin. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection, He offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who turn from sin and trust in Him.
Life Application
As you reflect on God’s purposes for sickness, consider these questions:
- How might God be using your current physical challenges to display His works and bring glory to Himself?
- Is there any unconfessed sin in your life that might be connected to your physical condition? If so, have you sought God’s forgiveness and the prayers of spiritual leaders?
- Could your illness be a test of faith? How can you demonstrate faithfulness to God even in the midst of suffering?
- Are you allowing Jesus, the Great Physician, to heal not just your body but also your soul?
This week, try praying this simple prayer daily: “Lord, whatever purpose You have in my suffering, help me to glorify You through it. Use my weakness to display Your strength. And if it pleases You, bring healing according to Your perfect will.”
Remember, your sickness is never without meaning. God is at work, even in your suffering, accomplishing His divine purposes for your good and His glory.