Sickness 695
May I put it bluntly: many are sick simply because they love
themselves too much. Unless the Lord removes this self-love from
their hearts He cannot use them. Therefore we must learn to be those
who do not love ourselves. Some people can think of nothing but
themselves. The whole universe seems to revolve around them. They
are the center of the earth as well as the hub of the universe. Day and
night are they occupied with their own selves. Every creature exists
for them, everything circles around them. Even God in heaven is for
them, Christ is for them, and the church is for them. How can God
destroy this self-centeredness? Why is it that some maladies are hard
to be cured? How intently they solicit men’s sympathy! If they
should spurn human sympathy their ailments would soon be healed.
A startling fact is that many are ill because, they like to be ill. In
sickness they receive the attention and love which they do not
usually enjoy in health. They frequently become ill that they may
habitually be loved. Such people need to be severely reprimanded;
and should they be willing to receive God’s dealing in this particular
matter they shall soon be well.
I know a brother who always expected love and kindness from
others. Whenever people inquired after his well-being, he habitually
responded with complaints about his physical weakness. He would
give a detailed report of how many minutes he suffered from fever,
how long it was he had a headache, how many times per minute he
breathed, and how irregular was his heartbeat. He was continually in
discomfort. He loved to tell people of his distress so that they might
sympathize with him. He had nothing to relate except his tale of
endless sickness. And at times he wondered why he was never
healed.
Now it is difficult to speak the truth. And sometimes it can be
costly. One day I was inwardly strengthened to tell him candidly that
his long illness was due to his love for sickness. He of course denied
it. Nevertheless I proceeded to point out to him: You are afraid that