The World is Full of Faith-Filled Sick People

(Lamentations 3:21-24) – This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “ Therefore I hope in Him!” (NKJV)

Multitudes of people are praying for our daughter Abby (go here if you don’t about her story: www.riggsfamilyblog.com). Tens of thousands are lifting us in prayer… maybe hundreds of thousands given the amount of email, stories and updates we get from individuals, churches and groups.

With that exposure, comes a waterfall of email and correspondence back to me with stories of cancer, terminal illness, heartbreaking injury, and all manners of personal suffering. I thank God He has prepared me, and given me the capacity to read all the stories without becoming overwhelmed or discouraged. It is simply mind-numbing how much pain, suffering and personal grief there is. We all experience some of it in our own lives, and are touched by it through the lives of others, but when you have thousands of people who hear your story, many of them are led to tell you theirs. And I’m glad. I want to hear them.

There is nothing like being reminded of what is going on with others to help us keep our own lives and difficulties in perspective. We are not alone. We are not “special” in our trials… suffering is an UNDENIABLE part of the human experience… FOR CHRISTIANS TOO. That is why I’m always a little dismayed to hear that it is our “lack of faith” that makes us sick, and in particular, is the reason Abby is not healed.

No, beloved, it is the curse of sin that has polluted God’s perfect creation and left us with rampaging sickness. We will not be free of it until we are free of this decaying body. If faith was the only issue, then millions of people claiming divine health by faith would not still be waiting for divine health “as if it was already done”. Within the groups that believe in divine healing the most, they suffer just as much sickness as anyone. If divine health was our promise in this life, we would never die, for death is the slow decay (the ultimate sickness) of the human body. I only pause to say this because any time I talk about sickness, I get inundated with well meaning and sincere emails from Christians correcting my “false belief” and “negative confession” about divine healing.

The World is Full of Sick and Hurting People Including Christians

The world is full of sick and hurting people. The world is full of sick and hurting Christians – genuine, faith-filled, life-sacrificing, taking-up-their-cross Christians. You know it, and I certainly know it because I hear from multitudes of them. This fact is not a discouragement but rather a reminder that we are not long for this world, and praise the Lord for that! Perfect divine health and life awaits us in the arms of Jesus. Sickness is a flashing red light, a waving flag, a rippling banner, a shooting star that constantly reminds us we are strangers and pilgrims on a journey to another home. So with that in mind, I escape into the words of His promise:

The Lord’s mercy is new every morning. His compassion NEVER fails. Great is His faithfulness. My Hope is God.

Can I get an ‘amen”? I said… can I get an AMEN???

Lord God, help us to not get drained by the sorrows and trials of this life. Help us to look to You for strength, hope and encouragement. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.