The prosperity gospel teaches that God gives His children health, wealth, and fame by right, not as a blessing which can be taken away. It teaches that sickness must be a result of sin. It offers a narrow view of grace and a broad view of retributive justice.
There is no more dangerous doctrine for a chronically ill person than the prosperity gospel. The prosperity or health and wealth gospel is dangerous enough to a lost, unbelieving person, but the dangers it holds for a chronically ill person are every bit as grave.
The devil has nothing to do with my illness. If he has anything to do with it (I don't venture to guess I am as blameless as Job and Satan approached God and made a bet he could make me curse Him), his role is limited according to my Father's direction and supervision.
The fact of the matter is that every day that I have is undeserved. I do not deserve health at a young age. I do not deserve success. I do not deserve the realisation of my dreams and ambitions. I deserve nothing. My days are undeserved, given to me by a Father who is gracious and loving.
I deserve hell, condemnation, and wrath. I deserve pain, sickness, and death. But what I have been given is far, far different. I have been given a God to bless for any healing from sickness and disease that comes my way (Psalm 103:3). I have been given a Saviour, whose wounds provide for my immediate healing and eventual complete spiritual reconciliation and union with His Father as well as completely physical wellness and an eternity in heaven (Isaiah 53:5).
I have faith that God will heal me. I am not standing in His way, preventing Him with a lack of faith. Fact is no one can stand in God's way (contrary to some prosperity gospel preacher's twisted notions of Scripture), because He is sovereign and no purpose of His will ever be thwarted (Job 42:2).
I'm enjoying this day that I don't deserve. Are you?
Sunday, August 12, 2012
1 comment:
Disclaimer: If you have a health resource you can't resist sharing, I would love to hear about it if you feel it will be truly helpful. I am already doing my best to fight this illness from a nutritional, structural, as well as medical stand-point. Please avoid comments with "miracle cure" stories about your Aunt Milly's granddaughter who drank coltsfoot tea for a week and has been fine ever since. I'm very thankful it worked for her in her case, but there are so many environmental, emotional, and other factors that make CFS/ME complicated and different from just an average illness. That being said, please leave thoughtful and uplifting comments below.
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You've got it, sister. ;-)
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