Sickness and Sin

Clearly not every health crisis or sickness is a result of someone’s specific sin (cf. Jn.9:1-3; Job 1:1; et al.). On the other hand, sometimes they are. According to Hebrews 12, God’s protective and parental love is demonstrated in the “unpleasant” correctives he brings into our lives (Heb.12:11).

Often God’s painful discipline comes in the form of sickness. The Psalmist said, “my back is filled with searing pain,” “there is no health in my body,” and “my bones have no soundness because of my sin” (Ps.38:3b, 7). David testified, as he carried around unconfessed sin, “my bones wasted away” because “day and night [God’s] hand was heavy upon me” and “my strength was sapped” (Ps.32:3-5).

We would be wise at the outset of any physical ailment to introspectively ask God to bring to mind any unresolved patterns of sin that he may be wanting to draw to our attention. The Apostle James reminds us that when our sin is the cause of our physical pain, a sincere prayer of repentance is the first step to a full recovery (Jas.5:15).