When You're Ill

          I hate it when I get convicted; I mean I hate being guilty.  That's too strong.  What I should say is that it's a good thing when the Holy Spirit convicts me ... it's a good thing to feel guilt because then I am made more aware of something in my life that needs to be changed.

            Okay, with that out of the way, let me tell you what convicted me.  You hear me talk a lot about my disability on this program.  And occasionally, sometimes often I will speak about my problems with pain.  Well, I recently read something Dr. John Piper wrote and, yikes, I thought, Man, I can be like that.  God's Word is talking about me there. 

            Piper was writing about when Epaphroditus brought gifts to the apostle Paul that had been sent by the Philippian church.  According to Philippians chapter 2, Epaphroditus became ill and almost died.  So Paul told the Philippians, "'Epaphroditus has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.'  What an amazing response!  It does not say the Philippians were distressed that he was ill, but that Epaphroditus was distressed because they heard he was ill.  I mean friend that is the kind of heart God is aiming to create [when we suffer]:  a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people.  Don't waste your [suffering] by retreating into yourself."

            Did you get that little lesson from Philippians chapter 2?  Epaphroditus was such a humble man, he did not want others worrying about him... he didn't want to distress his fellow Christians (he knew they had enough problems without being anxious for his health).  Anyway, Epaphroditus probably thought his health problems were so insignificant compared to the hardships his friends were facing. And boy does that speak to me!  That's a great perspective to have, and I hope - I really do trust - that when I'm talking about my disability, I hope I do it in such a way as to encourage others in Christ, not make them be anxious for me or to worry about me.  Because I tell you, my quadriplegia is "no big deal" in comparison to what most Christians are facing in parts of the world where there is war and persecution. 

            And what really convicted me about the attitude of Epaphroditus, is that he didn't want to talk about his illness at all.  And maybe you identify here, but I know there are some times I just talk about myself way, way too much.  If we have a new health problem, a new ache or pain, or some issue that has made walking or in my case wheeling in a chair even more difficult, then we talk about it, don't we.

            So I want you to join me today in asking God to help us cultivate a genuine focus on others, when we are hurting and less of a focus on our pains and problems.  Like someone once said, may Jesus increase and may we decrease.  That's a lesson today not so much for me but from Epaphroditus.

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