A Prisoner Of Your Illness

“May the groans of the prisoners come before you; with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.” Psalm 79:11 

  

  Years ago, a fellow I worked with committed a crime and was sent to prison. I remember writing to him while he was in prison and telling him that though I was not behind bars, I felt I was made a prisoner because of my illness. 

  If you have been denied your freedom because of sickness and disease you probably understand what I mean when I say that illness makes a person feel like a prisoner. Confined to bed, unable to leave the house, having your abilities limited or restricted altogether, such things can make us feel like prisoners. 

  To be confined by affliction is a miserable situation. But there are all sorts of prisons.  There is the prison of sin, those held bondage to addictions and weaknesses. Of course, there are people who are physically confined in prison. And then there are those of us who are just as bound and restrained in our lives because of illnesses and afflictions. I imagine that there are people in physical prisons who would like to trade places with us, but what good is the freedom to do everything when you are too ill to do anything? 

  Yet I have to remind myself that though I cannot do everything, I can do some things. We can love and encourage others; we can find things to do that are within our reach. Even people confined in prisons have written books, given testimonies for our Lord, and sometimes do tasks in prison that benefit those outside of the prison walls. 

  Today you may feel like you are imprisoned by your affliction, and that is understandable. But as long as there is life there is hope, and nothing restricts you from praying and loving and encouraging others who may be in their own kinds of prison. In Christ we are all free, despite the things that would restrain us. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for comforting us in the prison of our affliction. Amen.