is most important to God are things such as faith, walking in love, humility, being grateful, etc. If your heart is right with God, it’s going to be OK. Relax and trust God. If physical well-being were a sign of spiritual maturity, then anyone with a physical ailment or handicap would be a second-class Christian. That is simply not what scripture teaches. Some of God’s greatest saints have had handicaps. Fanny Crosby, whose hymns have touched millions, was blind. The apostle Paul most likely had severe eye problems (II Corinthians 12:1-10; Galatians 6:11). Not all illness is linked to sin or unforgiveness. (See: II Corinthians 12:7-10; John 9:2-3; I Timothy 5:23; II Timothy 4:20). If you are ill and possibly facing death, while I do not knowwhether God will heal you or not, God will do what is best. Think with me. Do you believe God loves you?—The answer is, “Yes.” (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). God loves you with a perfect love. Secondly, is God all powerful? “Yes.”—Now, put these two concepts together. God unconditionally loves you and He is all powerful. What this means is that all of the love, and all of the power behind the whole universe, is focused on loving you to the degree that you are able to receive it, and in the way that is best for you.—That is absolutely amazing. Think about it. This thought can revolutionize the way you think about God. If you have given God control of your life, then your life and your body are no longer yours, but his (Romans 12:1-2; I Corinthians 6:20). Paul wrote in Philippians 1:20b-21, “so . . . now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”—For the believer, death is not a thing to dread (Hebrews 2:14-15), but is rather our ticket home, into the arms of the One who loves us and died for us (Psalm 116:15; Acts 7:55-59). If we know Christ we are in a win-win situation. “To live is Christ and to die is gain”. My suggestion?—Quit worrying about your illness, and stop second-guessing God. Pray about it, and then leave the outcome to him. d
J esus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” —John 6:37b
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