Chronic Illness and The Bible

Given the circumstances of my life, this is something I’ve been doing some reading into and research on and I’d like to share what I’ve found.

In Luke 8 and Mark 5 there is s story about a woman with a chronic illness:
"And a woman was there who had a haemorrhage for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."

The Bible talks a lot about suffering, but what about physical pain?

Jeremiah 10:19 My wound is severe, and my grief is great. My sickness is incurable, but I must bear it.
Jeremiah 15:18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?

These questions are normal because even David, a man after God’s own heart, asked these questions:

Psalm 13:1-3 How long O Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O lord my God. Give light to me eyes, or I will sleep in the death.

Why does pain have to exist in our lives? Here are 10 reasons found in the Bible:
1. Silences and refutes Satan (Job 1-2)
2. Gives God an opportunity to be glorified (John 11:4)
3. Can make us more like Christ (Phil 3:10, Heb 2:10-11)
4. Can make us more appreciative (Romans 8:28)
5. Teaches us to depend on God (Exodus 14:11-12, Isaiah 40:28-31)
6. Enables us to exercise our faith (Job 23:10, Romans 8:24-25)
7. Teaches us patience (Romans 5:3, James 1:2-3)
8. Can make us sympathetic (2 Cor 1:3-6)
9. Can make and keeps us humble (2 Cor 12:7-10)
10.Brings rewards (2 Tim 2:12, 1 Peter 4:12-14)


Dear Lord,
I don’t like this illness, but by faith, I rejoice that You are up to something good in my life. In this sadness I pray that I discover a new aspect of Your character, and reach a new understanding of You that I could not have known without this loss in my life. I know You are acquainted with grief, and so You understand. I know You are present, and there is never a moment that You aren’t walking with me. You have not abandoned me. And although You don’t always explain why we go through these things, it doesn’t mean You don’t care. You are the center of all things, and that means you must be the center of this suffering. Through this, help me become more like You. Stay close with me.
Love, Rebecca