THANKFUL & SICK
When was the last time you were thankful when you were sick? “Gee, honey, I have a 100-degree temperature, and a migraine headache. I feel so very thankful”. Those would not be the words coming from my mouth. No, you feel miserable and want nothing to do with anything or anyone.
Jesus, in The Beatitudes, (Matt 5) uses the word, “Blessed”. Another word is “happy”, however, there is no “happy are the sick”. Yet, there are passages that refer to contentment, joy, peace and so on. Remember what Paul and Silas were doing when put into prison in Acts 16, they were praying and signing hymns. Prison was common for Paul and Silas.
In a sense, being locked in a “prison’ could make one sick, if not worried. I’m thankful I’ve never been in prison, but I have suffered with depression. I was not “thankful”! We find Paul, in 2 Cor: 12 with his “thorn” in the flesh. The nature of this “thorn” is much disputed by scholars. The ESV Study Bible gives us 4 possible suggestions. The first being: inner psychological struggles; (2) Paul’s opponents, who continued to persecute him; (3) some type of physical affliction, (4) some kind of demonic harassment.
Most commentators cautiously prefer some form of the third view, since “thorn in the flesh” would seem to suggest a physical condition. This “scholar” would like to explore the inner psychological struggles. Paul was feeling extreme grief over his earlier persecution of the church, or sorrow over Israel’s unbelief, or continuing temptations.
We certainly can understand his grief from persecuting Christians. Having someone killed for their faith can weigh heavy. I’m sure, we relate to ongoing temptations. Paul, himself, addressed this in Romans chapter 7:15b, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” However, I lean towards the psychological reason mainly because I’ve been there, and can attest, to extreme depression and the side effects. As did Paul, I found my strength in God. My favorite passage is what Paul wrote in Phil., 4. He tells us to not be anxious about anything, pray, with thanksgiving; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and (now get this), your minds in Christ Jesus. At first, I didn’t notice, “minds”. This is a great promise from God, and just as Paul shares with us; “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12: 9-10, paraphrased by me.
“Grace, grace, God’s grace, greater than all my sin” Praise God for His matchless grace!!
Grace!
-Tom Dye
