We can learn important lessons from being sick
I had a bad flu recently. I am sure you know what that feels like. I went from running a high fever to having shakes and chills, going along with headaches, a runny nose, and a sore throat. The worst of it only lasted a few days, but it seemed a lot longer.
One of the frustrations with being unwell is not only the symptoms; it is that all the things you had planned to do could not be done. My calendar for those three or four days were involuntarily cleared. I missed out on some personal things I was looking forward to, like a game of golf. I also found myself unable to do the most basic tasks associated with my work. It is a humbling thing to not be able to do what you usually do.
Other people stepped in to do the things I usually do. Other things simply did not get done and waited until I recovered. This reminded me of an important truth: things don’t depend on me as much as I think they do. None of us is irreplaceable. Sometimes we might be unable to do what we usually do. The world will keep turning even if we cannot contribute.
Sickness also reminds us that we cannot be certain what the future holds, if everything is due to us. We might intend to do something, but sickness or an accident or other priorities might get in the way. None of our plans are definite. They should all have “God willing” tacked on the end. God knows what will happen in the future, but even the most capable of us cannot guarantee what will happen next week.
The other takeaway here is that sickness is a reminder of how limited all of us really are. On our best days, when we are fully healthy and motivated and strong, we might feel like we can do anything. Yet there is much we can never do. We are never capable or clever enough to impress God so He will save us. We are never religious or good enough to meet God’s standard. Even at our very best, we need Jesus desperately.
Being sick is no fun at all. It is, however, a reminder that God is in control of the world and we are not. God is capable when we are not, and we need God’s grace more than we can say.