When a Family Member Is Sick

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

Disruption of the normal routine of life, no matter what the cause, is always difficult, and this is especially true if the disruption is caused by prolonged sickness.  Even a short-term illness calls for adjustments.  Concessions, and sacrifices. Healthy family members may have to keep quiet to allow the sick one to get rest.  They may have to forgo certain activities. Still, in most families even young children feel compassion for a sick sibling or parent, although they may occasionally have to be reminded to be thoughtful.   (Colossians 3:12)  In the case of temporary sickness, the family is usually ready to do what is needed.  Besides, each family member would hope for similar consideration if he or she  were to get sick. -Matthew 7:12. 

What, though, if the illness is very serious and the disruptions are drastic and prolonged?  For example, what if someone in the family  is paralyzed by a stroke, disabled by Alzheimer's disease or debilitated by some other illness?  Or what if a member of the family is afflicted with a mental  illness,  such as schizophrenia?  A common initial reaction is pity-sadness that a loved one is suffering so much. However, pity may be followed by other reactions. As family members find themselves very much affected and their freedoms limited by the sickness of one person, they may come to feel resentment.  They may wonder:  "Why does this have to happen to me?"

Something similar seems to have gone through the mind of Job's wife.  Remember, she had already experienced the loss of her children. As those tragic events unfolded, she no doubt felt progressively more distraught. Finally, as she saw her once active and vigorous husband afflicted with a painful loathsome disease, she appears to have lost sight of the vital factor that overshadowed all the tragedies-the relationship that she and her husband had with God.  The Bible says:  "Finally [Job's] wife said to him:  'Are you still holding fast your integrity?  Curse God and die! ' " -Job 2:9.

Many feel frustrated, even angry, when their life is radically changed by someone else's sickness.  Still, a Christian who reasons on the situation should realized eventually that  this affords him and opportunity to demonstrate the genuineness of his love.  True love  "is long-suffering and kind ... [and] does not look for its own interests . . . it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."  (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Rather than allow negative feelings to dominate, therefore, it is essential that we do our best to get them under control. -Proverbs 3:21. 

What can be done to safeguard the spiritual and emotional welfare of a family when one of its members is seriously ill?  Of course, each illness calls for its own particular care and treatment, and it would not be proper in this publication to recommend any medical or home-care procedures. Nonetheless, in a spiritual sense, Jehovah "is raising up all who are bowed down."  (Psalm 145:14)  King David wrote:  "Happy is anyone acting with consideration toward the lowly one; in the day of calamity Jehovah will provide escape for him. Jehovah himself will guard him and preserve him alive. . . .  Jehovah himself will sustain him upon a divan of illness."  (Psalm 41:1-3) Jehovah preserves his servants alive spiritually, even when they are tried emotionally beyond their own limits .  (2 Corinthians 4:7) Many family members facing serious sickness in their household have echoed the words of the psalmist:  "I have been afflicted to a great extent. O Jehovah, preserve me alive according to your word." -Psalm 119:107. 

Note: What they are forgetting is the fact, that in previous articles, they stated that: Satan is not only the cause of all our problems, But the fact that he is trying to not destroy our faith and worship in God and our integrity, (those that have any left) but God hates all of us and will do anything to make us miserable which includes making people sick.  He does not do any good things for anyone.  For these people to forget that, there is something wrong, in my opinion with their memory. Satan will do anything he can to destroy us in any way he can and he does not have a lot of time left  to do it, so he is on a fast running rampage to get his destruction done.  

Next time: When a Family Member Is Sick/A HEALING SPIRIT

From the book: The Secret of FAMILY HAPPINESS