Is sickness a blessing?

There are always reasons for what happens in a Christian's life. If we are obedient, God has promised to meet our needs. I've learned this the hard way. I was not a giver as I feared going without. It took me a long time to realise that I was lacking because I was not giving!

Martyrdom is not sickness. God calls some to give their physical lives as Stephen did. Such people are exceedingly precious to God. They are also overcomers because they are prepared to die for Christ's sake. (Revelation 12)

I like the writing of the Rev J R Miller, he imparts much wisdom and clarifies Biblical questions.

However, today I read a section in which he maintains that sickness is a blessing for which we should always be grateful.

I am not sure at all about that! My health of late has not been good and I definitely DO NOT feel it is a blessing. I pray to Jesus for healing and strength and I always feel comfort is given. I want to be well and I believe Jesus heals, He spent His ministry on earth healing people. He wants us to have life abundantly - surely this does not mean suffering?

To me all sickness and disease is bad and frightening. Yes we learn lessons and grow in character by earnest prayer, by leaning on God and trusting Him to heal us. I know many people do live very great productive lives DESPITE awful afflictions. This we may certainly admire and take inspiration from. Certainly we don't learn anything useful during easy good times, adversity is often a time of learning true lessons.

But to call sickness an actual blessing is going too far in my view. Can and should anyone actually welcome illness? I am just not made of such stern stuff!

What evidence is in the Bible to say sickness is a blessing? Do you suffer long-standing illness and do you consider it a blessing?

Let’s say sickness CAN be a blessing, I would agree to that.

praps we all need a good dose of leprosy then.

... them lepers in the bible did not hold your opinion

praps we all need a good dose of leprosy then.

... them lepers in the bible did not hold your opinion

what a very western way of thinking. this must mean our brothers and sisters under the Soviet regime failed to be obedient. or those under Mao, or those this very day in Cameroon.

i do agree with you; i chose poorly using the word martyrdom. i should have said death. do you know, medically speaking, no one dies of old age? no, it's always some body part or system fails to work properly, which is the very definition of illness. thus, no Christian should die, unless it be by accident or violence?

i am frustrated by inconsistency.

Maybe
“Wear and tear”

Numbers 12:2,10 KJV
And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. [10] And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

Truly we don’t know the reason of each individual’s state, but in this case we do…..

Numbers 12:2,10 KJV
And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
Numbers 12:3 KJV
(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Numbers 12:8-9 KJV
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
[9] And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.

[10] And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

Yet people are not afraid to listen to voices that contradict God's word, they develop fancy philosophies and theologies to explain away what God says. They call good evil and evil good, they put bitter for sweet.

They say prosperity is evil and poverty a blessing from God.

God was merciful to Miriam and after 7 days was received again into fellowship.

You have reminded me of this….
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You have reminded me of this….
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We must learn that we have ALL things in Christ, all that belongs to Him belongs to us too

Well ok

What does it mean "I have Christ"? yes His wonderful, precious person. Hallelujah. If we could now simply lay down and die.

We must learn that we have ALL things in Christ, all that belongs to Him belongs to us too "what things soever we desire"

We are like the prodigal son, we came trudging wearily home expecting no more than to be treated as servants.

But our Father came running to meet us and fell upon our necks weeping for joy that we have returned. For us is the best robe, the ring, the fatted calf and celebrations.

... but there is another brother.

"what things soever we desire"

true, indeed. in the "already; not yet" dynamic, though, we ought have a care we're not demanding (not that i think you demanding, Billy) what's to be ours in the eternal state for the here and now?

the Lord Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom. we'll see its fulfillment when He returns.

I don't know where this idea has come from but it is wrong. It's a verse ripped from it's context.
A completed canon is not remotely hinted at as the perfection to come.

The perfection to come is after resurrection when we see God face to face. As is explained in the same passage of scripture.

1 Corinthians 13
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9 For we know in part and prophesy in part;

11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known

What, I wonder, is the purpose of the Book of Job?

... then death would be the double portion ... bring it on.

Nobody doubts that God will comfort us and help us, will bless us and teach us during times of sickness. That does not make sickness a blessing nor does it mean that God sent it.

This is what folks accuse Calvin of that God causes people to sin so that He can damn them.

We must see God in the face of Jesus our Lord. He said "I came not to do mine own will but the will of My Father" and that will was to heal ALL manner of sickness. He turned nobody away.

He treated sickness as an enemy, how could the Author of life see it any other way? sickness is an enemy right up along side sin.

Until the church sees it as God sees it folk will continue to die for lack of knowledge.

What, I wonder, is the purpose of the Book of Job?

To demonstrate the lengths that God will go to, to lead a person to repentance, and get them to realize their spiritual problems. It was "Leviathan" (personal pride), and Behemoth (a tendency to rely on one"s self) that God was after in Job (Job 42:6).