When Saints Get Sick
- Dr. Robert Condly
- Jan 10
- 4 min read
I ended 2024 and began 2025 dealing with some kind of illness. I don’t know how I came down with a cold, but I did. I’ve been doing all the right things–resting, drinking liquids, reducing my meals–but I have yet to shake this off.
A couple of days ago it dawned on me that I hadn’t been under the weather in a long time. Up until 2024, I used to get sick a few times a year. But I can’t recall the last time I was sick.
They say that good health is invisible, and there’s some truth to that. When you feel fine, you’re not aware that you feel good; your mind is elsewhere. But when you have a fever, you feel every ache!
God had blessed my health throughout most of 2024 and I was oblivious to it. Well, I thank the Lord for watching over me. Thank You, Jesus!
I also noticed two coincidences that He knew were going to happen.
One is that because attendance was down at my church on December 29 (end of the year travel I suppose), my class had only one person show up. I record my Sunday School classes so people who miss a session can pick it up online, so I told my student that she could just attend the main service and I’d stay in the room and record myself.
That turned out to be good because if the room was full, I’d be breathing all over people for an hour or more. So they were better off not attending!
The second coincidence has to do with the Scripture passage we were going to study (Philippians 2:19-30). It’s about two of Paul’s ministry partners: Timothy and Epaphroditus. I intended to demonstrate how these men were examples of dedicated Christian service. They’re role models.
Notice what Paul writes about Epaphroditus.
But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. - Philippians 2:25-30
Yes, he got sick!
For some Christians, that’s not a problem. It’s what we experience in a world awaiting redemption. But other believers might question this. After all, didn’t Jesus perform many healings? And didn’t the apostles do the same? Why didn’t Paul lay his hands on Epaphroditus and restore him? Was this Paul’s fault? Or did Epaphroditus lack faith?
Reading this passage, I don’t get the impression that either man was responsible. Paul tells the Philippians to “honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ.” The apostle didn’t blame himself or his fellow worker. His priority was the ministry of the gospel. And if in spreading the good news we suffer some difficulties, we stay committed.
At the end of his second letter to Timothy, Paul writes a list of greetings and instructions to the young servant of the Lord.
“Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters. 22The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.” - 2 Timothy 4:19-22
Apparently, Epaphroditus wasn’t the only one! A fellow by the name of Trophimus also fell ill, and Paul was unable to tend to him.
So we have two instances of people serving Jesus who got sick.
What are the implications of these passages?
I don’t quote these to instill a sense of fear about our health. These are simple facts. Epaphroditus got sick and so did Trophimus. But Paul’s focus wasn’t on these situations; it was on the mission. He cared about these men and most likely entrusted them to Christians in their communities who could tend to them. Paul stayed on track with evangelism and discipleship.
If you were in Paul’s shoes (okay, sandals), could you do the same? Or would you be afraid people would accuse you of hardheartedness?
What if you were the one who was sick? Would you allow Paul to travel away from you or would you clamor for his full attention?
Again, I’m not promoting diseases as blessings; they’re not. But as important as our health is, our devotion to Christ and His work is paramount. We deal with our limitations and challenges as they arise, but we do so always centered on our ultimate aim–pleasing God in everything.
I pray that the Lord blesses your health in 2025 and even more, that He would reward your commitment to loving and serving Jesus Christ.
Have a great year!
(Bible verses are from the NIV.)
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