Don't Waste Your Sickness

My family and I have had a case of the stomach bug making its way to each of us over the past few days. My turn came just in time to keep me from preaching God's Word on Sunday.

I don't like being sick and I'm not a very good patient. So, over these past few days I've been thinking about making the most of the sicknesses God brings. Everyone gets sick sooner or later. Here are some big ideas for not wasting this "down" time.

1. Receive sickness as a gift of God meant to humble you. God is kind to remind you of your frailty. Sickness is used of God to make us depend on Him alone. The world still goes on without you. Nothing falls apart. You are not as important as you thought.

2. Pray for God to heal you. Use sickness as a means of believing in the power of God to heal the human body. Yes, it is possible to both receive sickness as a gift of God and to plead with God to remove it.

3. If you can't read, listen. When I'm sick, the hardest thing in the world is to concentrate enough to read. So, listen to God's Word being read. At esv.org you can listen to any passage being read from the ESV.

4. Take the opportunity to pray. Sickness provides an opportunity to spend extended times in prayer. Pray about everything while you are resting.

5. Express gratitude for those who serve you. Allow people to serve you and be sure to express your gratefulness for their help. For those who are married, take the opportunity to remember how blessed you are to have a spouse who is committed to you in "sickness and in health." That your spouse doesn't walk out when you are throwing up is a sweet mercy from God.

6. Rest. This post is not meant to heap guilt on you for sleeping all day. When you are sick, rest, knowing that your Savior is sufficient. He has your life in His hand.

Don't waste your sickness.