Finding God in Sickness

James Brown

Hey everybody, welcome back to Shutter the Dark Shorts. It's James here, and I gotta tell ya, if I sound a little stuffy or you catch a cough now and then, just roll with me—I’m still dragging around the tail end of this pretty nasty bug. You know, being sick is just... well, it’s one of those things everyone gets sooner or later, isn’t it? But what kind of “sick person” are you? I laugh about this, but there really are types. I saw a funny little video about the seven kinds of sick folks: the one in denial, the vitamin C nut, the power-through trooper, the faker... you name it. Frankly, I tend to move through a couple, myself. Start off popping the vitamins like there’s no tomorrow, try to power through, then—usually when I’m feeling like roadkill—start moaning that it’s the end for me.

James Brown

But jokes aside, there’s this honest moment that hits you when you’re sick—and I don’t just mean with a head cold, but with something big. If you’ve listened to this show for a while, you know I’ve done battle with cancer more than once. You realize—real fast—that you’re not in charge. I mean, you’re not God. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul calls his illness a “thorn in the flesh”—something given him to keep him humble. It’s wild to think about Paul, who did so much and wrote so much of the New Testament, saying that sometimes suffering is there to keep our pride in check. I’ll be real honest, when I was stuck in the hospital at nineteen, thinking, “Hey, I’ve got my future planned, I know what’s next”—and then boom, cancer. You learn quick you don’t control it all.

James Brown

I asked a young friend the other day what she thinks God tries to teach us in sickness. She told me, “Patience while you heal, taking care of yourself, and, uh, don’t fake it because you wouldn’t wish it on anyone.” Smart kid. Sometimes I think the stuff you really learn in sickness is... well, it’s humility. And patience, like she said. You’re forced to stop, step down from that busy treadmill, and let God be God. There’s freedom in that, weird as it sounds. So next time you’re knocked flat by some bug or something even scarier, just remember—you’re in good company, and maybe God’s using that for your good, even if it feels lousy at the time.

James Brown

Now, speaking of feeling lousy, let’s be honest—it isn’t easy to be thankful when your bones ache and your head feels three sizes too big. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.” All circumstances. Even when you can’t get out of bed without hacking up a lung. It’s, uh, not exactly my immediate instinct. Anyone else? “Give thanks”? Most of us, me included, would rather grumble sometimes.

James Brown

But here’s the thing—every single time I’ve come through something tough, especially those cancer seasons, I walk away with this whole new appreciation for simple stuff. Little stuff. I remember after chemo, just sitting outside and breathing fresh air with my kids—it, uh, it almost moved me to tears. That’s something you don’t think twice about until it’s nearly taken from you. I reckon most people listening can relate... you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, right? Being sick has this way of hitting the reset button on your perspective. It calls out that entitled attitude I can get when I’m healthy and busy—a “me, me, me” mindset.

James Brown

So, yeah, maybe I can’t rejoice for the fever but I can thank God for the days my body’s strong, or for the friends who bring soup, or that I even have a bed to crawl into while I heal. That’s not easy to remember in the thick of it—I mess it up plenty. But the Bible says give thanks in all circumstances, and sometimes that just means remembering the ordinary gifts, right there hiding in plain sight. Honestly, that’s a lesson I still need, again and again.

James Brown

Illness, especially when it drags on—and I mean, really hangs in there—just wears you out. I’ve watched family walk through it too, not just me. It’s, uh, exhausting for everyone, not just the sick person. There are days you pray and the answer just... well, it doesn’t come the way you hoped, not right away. But the Bible actually sets us up to expect that life isn’t all sunshine this side of heaven. Romans 8:20-22 talks about how all of creation is groaning, like we’re all carrying this ache, waiting for things to finally be made right.

James Brown

So sickness, and even the really tough stuff, isn’t just unlucky—it’s a reminder that this world’s broken, but it won’t stay that way forever. 2 Corinthians 4:17 calls what we’re going through now “light momentary affliction,” and, trust me, it doesn’t feel “light” or “momentary” in the middle of it, but compared to what God’s got planned, it really is. I mean, Revelation 21:4—what a promise: God will wipe away every tear, no more pain, no more death. That’s our future if we’re in Christ. When I sit with my loved ones, sometimes reading a Psalm or just holding a hand when there’s nothing to say, I remember—yeah, healing might come someday here, or it might not, but that ultimate healing, that’s a guarantee.

James Brown

I’ve had seasons where the best, most comforting thing I could do for a sick family member was just open the Bible and read a bit, or pray, or sometimes just be there. Not fixing—just being present. That’s something, too, isn’t it? So, if you’re walking through sickness—or with someone who is—don’t forget, God’s promise is bigger than the pain, bigger than the waiting. Hold on to hope, because that’s not wishful thinking, that’s a promise with God’s name on it. Alright folks, that’s where we’ll pause for today. Take care of yourselves, look for those daily blessings, and remember there’s always comfort and hope in Him, no matter how long the night. We’ll see you next time, right here on Shutter the Dark Shorts.