“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” (Psalm 85:8)
Not all sickness is connected to personal sin. But some sickness definitely is. In such a case the sick believer is enjoined to call upon the elders of the church and seek restoration of their soul first. Repentance is to be ascertained by the elders as confession is made. Then the prayer of faith can be prayed.
Whenever the Lord has been gracious enough to heal us from a sin-related sickness we have a responsibility to show fruits of repentance. The Lord says to us: “… Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:14)
King Hezekiah had a deathly sickness in his body. The Lord told him to set his house in order for he would die. We do not know all that transpired between the Lord and His servant, but we do know that this sickness was related to some sin on Hezekiah’s part. Even though in the midst of his sickness the king reminded the Lord of his devotion to Him, after his recovery he would say: “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” (Isaiah 38:17)
When healing comes there ought to be such appreciation to the Lord for healing us that we dedicate ourselves to never going back to the evil we once called good, the darkness we once called light, the bitter things we once thought sweet. Before we were afflicted we went astray. Restoration of our soul should include a rededication to walk in paths of righteousness. We are returned to our Shepherd to walk carefully before Him for the rest of our days.
A chastened and grateful Hezekiah understood what a bullet he had dodged. His words reflect his contrite spirit. “What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.” (Isaiah 38:15)
“Going slowly all our years” is the only appropriate response for those who have been given a new lease on life by the hand of a merciful God. No more reckless, mindless, godless living.